Chained Hearts
by LilithArtist
Summary: Lured by a man in black, Luna and her friends must face the perils of Castle Oblivion as their memories get jumbled and mysterious strangers make plans for them. Meanwhile, down below, Riku will have to face his inner darkness and find his friends - and he won't be alone as he joins forces with a peculiar woman bearing powers similar to Luna's.
1. Prologue: Finding Castle Oblivion

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **And here we are. As promised, I've gotten a start on the next story: Chained Hearts!**

 **Now just to give a word of warning to you guys, this one might be a tad slower than the norm because of the precariousness of writing out the escalating floors of Castle Oblivion. But rest assured, I'll try my hardest to make it interesting to the best of my ability.**

 **To Gry20 (back in Tainted Hearts): I noticed your review some time ago. I really appreciate ideas and suggestions for my work, wholly. However, what you suggested unfortunately, to me, gave me the impression of the dangerous territory called 'Mary Sue'. I am trying not to cross the line I've drawn since starting this series. I hope you understand my serious reservations about it.**

 **Anyways, without further ado, hope you enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Prologue: Finding Castle Oblivion

When Luna abruptly woke up, the first she saw is a clear night sky stretching out across a wide, seemingly endless field of greens with a dirt road next to her that appeared to stretch on forever in two directions. As she sat up from her initial sleeping position, she looked around to see Donald and Goofy on one side of her, asleep on top of one another and snoozing away, and then looked to her other side to see Medea lying face down on the ground, lightly snoring in contrast to the duck and the dog.

After chasing down Pluto for a while, they sadly lost track of the dog as he disappeared for parts unknown and have no clue what became of him after all the trouble of giving pursuit. Being forced to give up after all the effort they put to get any leads, the gang opted to rest until they can go further down the road, hopefully to find out wherever they're going.

Not wanting to bother any of her friends, she slowly got up and started walking over to the dirt road just to see if she can scope out anything of interest before going anywhere.

Funny thing is, she still wore the clothes she had from the moment she had been forcibly torn away from her foster home – the white, no sleeved blouse and short blue skirt held by a leather buckled corset, thigh-high black boots, long fingerless gloves, blue mini hat with a veil over her eyes, and the gold-decorated brooch holding a moonstone in its center. But who could blame her? It wasn't like she could change her clothes at any time.

But that didn't matter because she focused more on trying to discern where they are now – and for that matter, where the heck Sora went off to. Luna noticed from the start that he wasn't with the rest of the gang when she woke up. Did he go off searching without them?

"You couldn't sleep either, Luna?"

Recognizing the familiar boyish voice, she turned around to find Sora coming up near her, surprised to see her awake. He was still dressed the same as well, but it didn't bother him in the slightest.

Almost automatically, Luna nodded in response. "I woke up. I didn't see you anywhere. What were you doing?"

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep either. I just thought I'd take a look around, but I can only see miles of green everywhere and that road we've traveled on for hours." He shook his head. "At this rate, I don't think we'll be able to find anything at all."

Luna felt disappointed at the news. When they began adventuring through the worlds with Donald and Goofy from the moment they lost their home world, they had fought through many perils and overcame many enemies that tried to oppose them until they confronted the witch Maleficent – only to find that the real mastermind behind the destructions of the worlds was a monster under the name of Ansem. They tracked him down and successfully stopped him from fulfilling his plans with the Heartless, but in order to prevent more of those black fiends from spilling out, they had to close the door to Kingdom Hearts with Riku and King Mickey trapped on the other side.

However, she remembered Riku's promise to her before the door closed, separating them:

 _"_ _I'll come back to you. You'll see."_

It gave her a small, comforted smile, thinking on Riku's vow to find a way to return to her; she felt sure that he'll find a way out of the realm of darkness and come back to her. Still, she would've given anything just to see him again.

"Hey, you gonna be okay?" Sora's question interrupted her thoughts.

She quickly looked to him and nodded. "I'll be okay. But I wish I could be with Riku again."

Sora gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Luna. He'll be alright. He's stronger than you think. For all I know, he's probably looking for you right now!" Then, he looked ahead of him towards a crossroads stretched out before them. "Now, if only we knew where to start searching for him and King Mickey…"

He was right about that. Where are they going to find them now? The crossroads laid out ahead of them doesn't really help things in the slightest.

But then, both of them suddenly felt a sharp, nervous jolt running down their spines as they sensed something within their vicinity.

"Along the road ahead lies something you need," a soft yet dangerous voice beckoned from behind.

In an instant, Luna and Sora both turned around – but found nobody there! They looked around, trying to understand what was going on, but then felt that alarming vibe force them to turn back and – to their surprise – found a suspicious figure in a hooded black coat hovering by one of the roads, taunting them.

"However – in order to claim it, you must lose something that is dear to you," the mysterious figure continued.

Then, as quickly as he mysteriously appeared, the stranger disappeared without a trace, leaving Sora and Luna baffled as to what happened there. And for that matter, what was that whacky rabble all about?

"What was that?" Luna couldn't help asking.

"I wish I knew," Sora confessed, baffled at what happened. "We'd better head back and let our friends know what we saw."

She nodded in agreement, allowing Sora to hurry ahead and alert the others. But just as she started to follow behind him, though, she stopped and looked back to see the hooded man hovering where they had last seen him. But the man seemed intently focused on her for reasons she doesn't know.

"…To think the frail flower has grown to full bloom," the mysterious man mused.

Perplexed at the cryptic curiosity, Luna was about to question what he was talking about, but he vanished again, leaving her with more questions than answers. As much as she wanted to ponder over what she heard, she didn't want Sora to come looking for her due to her dawdling, so she hurried away from the crossroads as quickly as possible and rendezvoused with the rest of the party to relay what happened. Apparently, Sora had just told Donald and Goofy about what they saw with Medea listening intently before Luna arrived on the scene.

"Are ya sure your eyes weren't playing tricks on you?" Donald asked with skepticism.

"I'm sure of it! Luna was with me when we saw that hooded man," Sora insisted, "He was saying weird things to us, and then he disappeared."

Medea, despite hearing what Sora said, noticed her master just arrived. "Hey, Luna, what held you up? You see something that Sora didn't before you came back?"

When she heard that question being directed towards her, Luna wasn't sure if she should tell what she heard to her friends, especially considering how out of place the situation was when it was just her out there at the crossroads. But when she saw the confused look on Sora's face and Medea's fixed gaze at her, she knew that she might as well be honest about what she witnessed – even if it sounds ridiculous.

She took a breath before answering, "Yes…I did. That same hooded person – the one that Sora told you about, I'm sure – appeared again as soon as Sora wasn't around to see him. Then, he said something strange, just like what happened on the islands. Only…the man compared me to a flower, and I have no idea what he meant by that."

Nobody knew how to respond to Luna's testimony without thinking she was crazy, too. Granted, Sora had a slight idea as to how she felt considering he had seen a hooded Ansem direct certain words towards her previously; Donald and Goofy, on the other hand, were at a loss as to what to say about it. Not even Medea had an explanation as to what might've happened without them knowing it.

Then, a familiar cricket jumped out to speak with the group personally and speak his mind on the matter.

"All the same, it's rather suspicious. It could give us a clue as to where the king and Riku could be, or it could a trap set for us," Jiminy said, uneasy to the developments.

"Maybe we oughta see what's past where you guys saw the person," Goofy suggested, "and then we can figure out what to do."

"Sounds good to me," Sora agreed, "I don't wanna see him again on those roads."

"I don't think we'll see him again, at least not for a while," Luna doubted, "But…if we do see him again, we'd better be ready for anything."

That is something everybody can agree on; after what they've gone through so far, it wouldn't be too surprising if after what they've accomplished, they might run into some other trouble that would interfere with their chance to finish their mission and return home once they found what they're looking for. After all, there's no knowing what unknown they'll be stepping into this time around.

However, unknown to the boys, Luna and Medea are the only ones who have the strangest feeling that wherever they are going, they'll be finding themselves in one particular location neither of them would be looking forward to…

* * *

…Which is unfortunately confirmed when they followed the road the stranger was last seen, until they found themselves in an uncanny environment.

Luna couldn't help looking up at the eerie castle she once gazed upon ten years ago, remembering the tragedy that came with the place she used to know. Seeing the impractical structures of the towers and the stained glass windows decorating the otherwise otherworldly fortress gave her a bit of a sinking feeling, like she was about to receive a heartbreaking homecoming even though she already saw what happened to her adoptive home as a child; to her knowledge, she and her Guardian are the only select few who know about it…along with a person she once knew so well, but she didn't want anyone else to know about that since it would be too difficult to explain.

"Never thought you'd see this place again, huh, Luna?" Medea suddenly asked her as she watched the boys debate on what to do.

Luna shuddered a little before she answered, "I thought I wouldn't. But…it seems something wants us to come here." She paused. "Still…I can't shake off the feeling that something is wrong about this. I'm not sure what it is, but there's something not right inside the castle. It's like something doesn't belong there."

And she had every right to think that way, considering how she immediately sensed several auras lingering deep within the castle. She didn't know what they were, but she had no doubt that it isn't very inviting.

But then, Donald brought up a big question. "Should we go inside?"

"But shouldn't we knock first, just in case?" Goofy replied, not wanting to ignore etiquette.

"Oh, sure, you can do that," Medea answered sarcastically, "if you're not expecting someone to either kidnap you the moment the door opens or kill you the moment you step inside."

Sora gave the Guardian an 'are you kidding me?' look. "What are you being pessimistic about, Medea? You make it sound like you've been through that stuff before."

"Sora, please don't push our luck. I don't want us to have any trouble," Luna warned her friend cautiously, "This castle…I don't know what the deal is, but we shouldn't be too relaxed about it, unless we want to get into trouble."

"Luna's right, you know. This castle doesn't look too inviting," Jiminy agreed, peeking out of Sora's hood. "I don't like the looks of this place myself, if you know what I'm saying."

"Maybe, but we don't have any other choices, don't we?" Sora insisted, "And besides, what if we do find something in here?"

There was just no dissuading Sora's mind at this point, since he is determined to enter inside the castle and find out what's the deal with the place. Left with no other options – and with nowhere else to go after traversing the road earlier – to use, the party had no choice but to step inside the main hall of the imposing castle and find out what dangers await them once inside.


	2. Chapter 1: Traverse Town - Sora

**Hello, everyone!**

 **And HOLY S**T, this one took longer than I thought to put down!**

 **To set the record straight, I'm just going to assume that the cards are mostly used as a way to proceed through the doors leading to the illusory worlds and back out into the castle itself, and regarding matters with Donald and Goofy, I'll just safely assume that they probably get separated from the rest of the party unless there's a bigger baddie to fight against. That okay?**

 **That being said, I hope you'll like this chapter nonetheless.**

 **And hey, if you've just now found me and this new storyline I'm doing, let me now what you think so far. Just be constructive about it.**

 **And since we're here, I'll let you know that I won't write about all the worlds Sora and party go through in full detail. So, given how I thought about expanding a little with Riku's section of the castle (you probably already know the repetition of his ventures). So, if you guys have any ideas on which worlds Riku goes through that you want me to go into deeper details of, then I'd love to hear it. That way, I can plan out which worlds to delve deeper into with Sora's side of the spectrum.**

 **Without further ado, enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Floor 1, Traverse Town – Sora

Slowly and cautiously, Sora opened the door and peeked inside to make sure there's nothing dangerous ahead of them; not long after, Luna moved the door wider and inspected the inside for potential traps or anything perilous – but neither of them could see anything harmful, as far as they're concerned.

Unlike the outside of the castle – which looked like a childishly distorted children's picture of gothic castle – and its barren surroundings, the inside had so much white around the entrance room that it almost hurt their eyes to look at. The walls and columns, along with other forms of décor were hugely colored on white with barely any slight shades of light grey (a grey that's almost too hard to spot). Up ahead of them is a door that isn't colored like the rest of the entire room. Eerier still, the room is so quiet that the only sounds they heard upon entrance is the sound of their own feet as they stepped inside.

However, upon entering the room, Goofy had one concern on his mind. "Hey, ya think it's OK to barge in?"

"But we gotta do it, if we're gonna find the king…" Donald said.

That got the knight's attention as he looked around. "The king? King Mickey's here?!"

"Something just told me he'd be here, ok?" the duck insisted.

"Really? 'Cause now that you mention it, I was kinda thinking the same thing," Goofy agreed.

Sora was quite surprised at this. "Seriously? Me, too! One look at this castle, and I just knew: Our very best friends – they're here."

"I'm getting that feeling, too…oddly," Luna agreed cautiously, "But even so…"

"Guess great minds think alike," Goofy speculated cheerfully.

"Honestly, all I'm getting out of this place is a bad vibe," Medea commented with skepticism, "and whatever it is that's going on, I don't wanna know who's running the show."

"Do you have to be so skeptical?" Donald questioned the Guardian.

But then Jiminy jumped out from Sora's hood worriedly. "Wait, hey, hold on! It can't be just a coincidence!"

"Oh, no, Jiminy, you don't mean that –" Donald started to ask.

"Yep, I had it, too! Mm-hmm!" the cricket confessed, "I had the exact same feeling."

That was when Goofy had a crazy thought. "Gawrsh, maybe it's contagious."

That scared Luna a lot. "You mean…we're all getting sick?!"

"No, no. Something's screwy," Donald protested, "We've got to go take a look."

"All right," Sora agreed instantly, starting to walk on ahead of them.

That shocked the duck when he heard that. "Wak! Where are you going?!"

"That way. To the door," Sora replied as he pointed to the door. He gave a cheeky smirk. "Are ya scared?"

That ruffled Donald's feathers a bit. "Aw, don't be ridiculous! C'mon, let's go, guys!"

"Are you kidding me? Doesn't anybody listen when I get a bad feeling?" Medea groaned.

"I don't think Sora's the type to get a bad vibe that easily," Luna sighed as she started walking, "But thinking on that, why can't I shake off the idea that somebody's watching us from somewhere?"

As they started following, though, Goofy suddenly had a thought cross his mind. "Hey, fellahs, shouldn't we shut the door behind us before we go?" However, as he turned for the door, he suddenly panicked. "Sora! Luna!"

Getting their attention, everyone turned around and was shocked to find the same hooded man Sora and Luna saw earlier standing as the door automatically shut behind him. Not bothered in the slightest about it, the figure started stepping towards them calmly while everyone else got armed for a possible confrontation.

"It's him! That man we saw before!" Luna cried out, alarmed.

"Who are you?" Sora demanded to know as he readied his keyblade.

The hooded man said nothing as he came closer to them, not noticing the tension in the air.

"Wak! Heartless? Oh, yeah? I'll try some magic," Donald assumed they were facing a Heartless. He readied his wand, and… "THUNDER!"

Nothing happened.

Donald noticed this quickly. "Come on. THUNDER! THUNDER!"

Still, nothing happened.

"Come on…Blizzard? FIRE!" Donald kept trying to cast a spell, but nothing came out of his staff. "Why isn't it working?"

"I should think it's obvious. The moment you set foot in this castle," the hooded man answered with a silky voice, "you forgot every spell and every ability you ever knew. In this place, to find is to lose, and to lose is to find. That is the way in Castle Oblivion."

Medea groaned in frustration on that. "Yep. I suspected that from the second I dubbed this place years ago."

Sora looked at the Guardian in confusion. "Did you?"

"Technically, yes. I agreed on it," Luna admitted.

Then, without warning, the hooded man disappeared from their view, startling everyone who witnessed it. Quickly, Sora and Luna looked around to try and find where he went, but then they heard a whooshing sound behind them and turned to find the man had reappeared behind them.

"Here you will meet people that you have known in the past. And you will meet people that you miss," the hooded man said vaguely.

"I miss?" Sora was confused for a second, before a thought crossed his mind. "Riku! You mean Riku's here?!"

Luna was startled at this. "What…? How can that be?"

"If what you want…is to find him…" the hooded man trailed off. Raising an arm up in front, a blast of wind rushed through the room, catching Sora and Luna off-guard when flower petals rushed past them (all their while their compatriots had no idea what the heck was going on). As their attention was diverted, the man blurred right through Sora like a ghost, and then quickly turned around to phase right through Luna as well.

Since Luna was too stunned to process what was going on, Sora tried to land a strike against the hooded man – only for him to narrowly evade him with a teleport and reappear atop the stairways to the door ahead of them.

Sora readied his keyblade to attack as he demanded, "What'd you do?!"

"I merely sampled yours and Luna's memories," the hooded man replied casually, "And from them, I made this." From his hand, he pulled a card bearing the image of a familiar location they had been at from the start of their adventure against the Heartless not long ago. "To reunite with those you hold dear –"

He threw the card towards them, which Sora caught efficiently as he examined the item in his hand with a confounded look.

"What's this? A card?" he asked, perplexed.

"It is a promise for the reunion you both seek," the hooded man replied, falsely assuring them, "Hold the card to open the door, and beyond it, a new world." He gestured to the door behind him. "Proceed, Sora…Luna. To lose and claim anew or to claim anew only to lose…"

He disappeared from their sight once more, leaving the party to contemplate what they had just experienced now and with more questions than answers. What good is a card going to do them in this castle? Does it really recreate a world they've been to, or will it just be an optical illusion molded to the way Sora and Luna originally remembered the first world they've been to? There was only way to find out about it, and they don't have any other options at this point.

"C'mon, guys, let's do this," Sora finally decided as he moved ahead to the door.

"Let's hope we don't have any more trouble than we already got ourselves into," Medea sighed as she followed behind her master, "because if that man is conning us, I swear I am going to strangle him with my claws."

"Just once, I'll let you do that," Luna agreed, not enjoying the encounter they had, "just in case he is attempting to pull a con on us."

"What, did you get tricked into something before?" Donald asked out of curiosity.

Luna didn't give too much of an answer. "You have no idea…"

.

.

.

.

When Sora and Luna passed through the door with the use of the card they were given, the two were surprised to find that they were Traverse Town. The buildings, the lampposts, and the street signs hung in several places were unquestionably the same as they had last seen them, but…there was something rather uncanny about it. Even though they are standing in the middle of the town, something about it just didn't feel right – almost like it shouldn't be so easy for them to be able to come back to Traverse Town after everything they've gone through.

"This can't be right…" Sora began to have his doubts. "We're in Traverse Town!"

"It looks like Traverse Town, but it doesn't feel the same," Luna agreed as she looked around.

"What you see isn't real."

Both of them suddenly recognized the voice of the hooded man who swayed them into proceeding through the door, and were about to turn to face him only to find that he had vanished from where they first sensed him and reappeared on the other side.

'This town is an illusion created by your memories ingrained in the card," the man told them.

"My memories?" Sora asked, confused.

But then, Jiminy jumped out from Sora's hood in a fretful panic.

"Forget about that, Sora! We lost Donald and Goofy!" Jiminy panicked, "Even Medea is nowhere to be found!"

That got Luna freaked out. "Medea! Medea, where are you?!"

Sora turned behind him and looked around to find that Donald and Goofy were not following behind them!

"Donald? Goofy? Guys, where are you?" Sora called out to them worriedly. But then he turned to the hooded man angrily. "What did you do to them?!"

"They are at the mercy of the cards now. Master the cards, and their strengths will be yours again," the hooded man said, acting like nothing's wrong. "Now, regarding your friend's guardian…"

"Oh, shut up, will ya? I'm already in her shadow, so what difference will it make to shove me in a card?"

Right on cue, Medea emerged from Luna's shadow, just as she normally would have ever the first time she was summoned. Needless to say, her stony face indicated that she isn't amused about the situation going on right now.

"…It seems we made a slight miscalculation on one factor," the hooded man responded, shockingly not bothered about it. "Oh, well. Not that it matters all that much."

Before Luna could ask any questions about it, she and Sora heard footsteps running behind them and found Donald and Goofy catching up to them – and found that the two were wearing the clothes they had when they first met them in Traverse Town! How was that possible?

Though, Sora had other problems in mind. "Donald? Goofy? Are you two alright? Where've you been?"

"You tell us! When you opened the door, we saw a strange light –" Donald replied, baffled just as much as Sora is. "…and the rest is just…blank."

Jiminy shook his head in dismay. "Gee, that doesn't help. Try to remember what happened. I have to keep my journal up to date."

But then Goofy had a bit of a shock. "Hey, Donald, where'd I get the new clothes?"

Donald looked down at himself and jumped in shock. "Wak?! Me, too, Goofy! Somebody's been messing with our clothes!"

"Those are the clothes you two wore when we met," Luna recalled, "I'd know them quite well."

Sora turned to the hooded man with suspicion. "Could it be the cards again?"

"That is for you to ponder," the hooded man replied cryptically. "Master the cards, and make your way through the castle. But from here, you two – or rather, three – walk alone."

"You're just saying that because I got a loophole with myself," Medea retorted.

Donald and Goofy didn't like the idea of leaving their friends on their own, not after everything they've gone through in their previous journey.

"Alone?! We can't let Sora and Luna go alone," Goofy protested.

"Yeah! They can't do anything without our help," Donald added, but then remembered what he knew from Luna. "Well, actually Luna can handle herself since she's got Medea, but Sora's another problem!"

Sora gave a pouting frown. "Thanks a lot, Donald."

"If it's any consolation, I'll do what I can to make up for your…current problems," Luna offered to console them, "and make sure Sora gets through it. And don't worry about me. I still have Medea, at the very least."

"Well, yeah! Someone's gotta act as the muscle while they're still available," Medea agreed confidently.

"You sure you'll all be okay?" Goofy asked in concern.

"Of course!" Sora promised them. Then, he turned to the hooded man. "You want us to go alone? Fine. We can take care of ourselves."

"But don't mistake what he said. We know what we've been through," Luna warned darkly, "and if you try and mess with us again, I won't hesitate to mop the floor with you."

The hooded man, impressed at their confidence, chuckled darkly. "Hmph, the hero and the mage speak so boldly. Go, then. The rest of Castle Oblivion awaits. Walk the avenues of latent memory, and you shall meet someone dear to you."

Then, just as he has been doing several times since they first set foot inside the castle, the hooded man disappeared in a swirl of darkness, leaving the rest of the party to go over what they've just gone through and with no other options but to keep going forward as he suggested to them.

However, Jiminy had some serious reservations about it. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

But Sora wasn't taking it at face value. "Relax, Jiminy. We're ready for any tricks he got up his sleeves. How hard can it be to figure out these cards?"

"Don't get cocky, kid. Besides, I'm just as suspicious as the cricket is right now," Medea warned strongly.

"All the same, we can't get anywhere by just standing here," Luna admitted, "We'd better get going so we can get out of here as quickly as possible."

Agreeing to Luna's suggestion, everyone started walking off through the streets of the town. But just as Luna was about to follow behind them, she got herself a bit of a start when she felt a tap on her shoulder to find the same hooded man behind her – but this time, he was way too close to her for comfort as he leaned close to her ear.

"By the way, my dear, someone in your family is searching for you," the hooded man whispered to her, "You may not remember him, but he remembers you quite fondly. Don't keep him waiting too long, won't you?"

That confused Luna a lot; she remembered having a brother and a mother, but how could there be another member of her family? To her knowledge, the most she had were a few close friends, a grandfather figure, and what family she had as a child. Why would there be someone else?

But before she could ask any questions, Luna found that the man once more vanished without a trace. Not wanting to ponder the strange things the man had said to her, she hurried along so she can keep up with the others and get the town as soon as possible.

* * *

If there's one thing that the hooded man was not joking about, it's the fact that it is rather out of place not having Donald and Goofy constantly around them at all times. Between the three, Sora felt this a lot more than Luna does because of his previous lack of experience as a combatant in contrast to Luna and Medea. Granted, Luna was still helpful with her range of options to apply her Shadow Hands and Medea was a powerhouse against the Heartless that manifested to get in their way. It felt almost like Donald and Goofy were forced to remain separated from the rest of the party whenever they were confronted by the Heartless that formed to attack them, leaving Sora, Luna and Medea to deal with the monsters that only aimed for them.

In fact, after entering one of the districts, Sora couldn't help complaining, "Fighting alone isn't as easy as I thought…"

"I would've said the same thing myself," Luna admitted, "but I suppose it's not the case where I stand."

"Tell me about it," Medea agreed, "Despite the fact that we're close by to make sure you didn't get reckless, you can barely pound a Heartless without having Luna there using her magic."

Not long after Medea made her statement to Sora, Donald and Goofy abruptly arrived on the scene like an invisible barrier had finally lifted and are allowed to move along with the rest of the team. Needless to say, it felt rather jarring after not seeing them nearby most of the time.

A startled Sora exclaimed, "Don't pop out of nowhere like that!"

"Hey, it's not our fault!" Donald retorted, "We don't know what's going on!"

But Goofy got distracted when he looked past Sora and Luna, letting out a confused 'a-hyuck' which made everyone turn around to find...Pluto?

"Pluto?!" Sora exclaimed in shock.

Even Donald was a bit surprised about it. "Things keep getting stranger. What's Pluto doing here!?"

"There's nothing strange about that. We came to Traverse Town with Pluto, didn't we?" Goofy remembered.

But Jiminy stopped them right there as he searched his book. "No, wait! According to my journal, it was before you met Sora that you came to town with Pluto."

"In retrospect, we didn't get to meet up until you…well, you know," Luna agreed, recalling that awkward first meeting.

It didn't take the duck long to figure it out. "Wak! That's right. We were chasing after Pluto, and that's how we ended up in Castle Oblivion!"

"But aren't we in Traverse Town?" Goofy asked.

"Well, it's not really Traverse Town," Jiminy replied, "I think the card created this Traverse Town inside Castle Oblivion!"

"If that's the case, then that jackass did a damn good job at making a fool out of us," Medea said sarcastically.

Poor Sora had a lot of trouble wrapping his head around the confusing elements. "Aagh! Who cares about all that? It's too confusing! I don't know where we are, but let's just keep moving defeating Heartless! We'll get somewhere!"

"As confusing as it is, we can't be too careless," Luna warned her friend, "I'm sure that man is trying to mess with us by creating illusions of what we once knew."

"You'd better be careful, or it's the Heartless that are going to defeat you."

Faintly recognizing the voice sounding behind them, Sora and Luna turned around to find… Leon? They'd know the trademark black clothes and strange style of belts anywhere, but what was he doing here? Shouldn't he and the others be at Hollow Bastion, their original home? Or was this another one of the memory fabrications?

Sora certainly didn't know what to expect. "Leon, it's you! What are you doing here in Castle Oblivion?"

Leon raised a puzzled brow. "Castle Oblivion? What are you talking about? This is Traverse Town. And how do you know my name? Who are you?"

Now Sora was more confused than ever. He doesn't recognize them? What's with this place?

"Well, this is getting weirder and weirder," Medea deadpanned.

"Maybe I'll sound crazy, but…do you anything about me?" Luna asked, just to be sure they're not losing their minds.

"I don't know anything about you," Leon answered as he looked back to Sora. "And I've never met the likes of you before."

"Quit playing, Leon! We all fought the Heartless together! You know that!" Sora tried to remind him.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted, "I don't even know your names."

"You don't?" Goofy asked.

Leon shook his head. "…Sorry."

"Yeah, this is definitely shady business we're dealing with here," Medea commented, "especially if that black creep is the one messing with this version of the town."

"That is quite sad," Luna agreed with a sigh, "We're not going to get anywhere if we interrogate him like this…"

Sora felt bummed about it. "I can't believe it. How can you have forgotten about us?"

"I feel for you two, but you've got the wrong guy," Leon said to them with pity, "Happens all the time. Don't take it so personally, Sora, Luna."

Hold the phone! Did Leon just say Luna and Sora's names?! That got everybody stunned at what just happened, and at the same time perplexed as to why Leon said their names after saying that he doesn't know them. None of this was making a lick of sense!

"So, you DO know their names!" Donald exclaimed.

Even Leon himself was shocked at this. "Now, now, hold on! Why do I know your names?"

"You think Leon's kidding around?" Goofy wondered.

"If he is, it's not funny. Sora and Luna are really upset," Donald replied, unimpressed.

"Damn straight it isn't. Hell, even Luna looks like she wants to cry at any moment," Medea agreed, scowling at the man.

"Who's kidding around, Goofy?" Leon questioned, unamused. "You, Donald and Medea are the ones who –" But then he stopped himself when he realized that he also said the names of the rest of the party, and felt more confused than ever. "I don't get it…something's wrong with my memory. What's happening here?"

"I dunno, Leon. Maybe Aerith was on to something after all."

"I always knew that the total loser would have a feeling of déjà vu, but I wouldn't be surprised if that vibe will also be hitting on you."

Arriving behind Leon are two women of drastically different proportions. One is a young teenager dressed rather too indecently for a ninja of her age, what with the small top and shorts; the other is a dwarfish, pointy-eared woman with two thick pigtails dressed in a black-and-white robe. There's no question that the two have to be Yuffie and Shantotto.

"She said she had sensed some uncanny kind of power," Yuffie admitted, "and asked us to look into it. Well, this is as uncanny as it gets. Maybe you should take Sora and Luna to see Aerith."

What the heck?

"Yuffie, you know our names!" Sora exclaimed.

The ninja shrugged her shoulders. "Yep! Looks like you know mine, too."

"Then, does that mean Professor Shantotto knows my name, too?" Luna asked out of curiosity.

Shantotto gave a haughty huff. "Of course I would know your name, silly little tot. A brilliant sorceress such as I could never forgot such name like Luna on the spot. Though, regarding that goofy boy, I can barely say the same. Does anyone expect me to treat a redundant name as Sora like a fun little game?"

"You know them?" Leon asked the ladies.

"Nope. Total strangers," Yuffie replied bluntly, "But I definitely know their names."

"Do I know them my boy? Oh, please, don't play coy," Shantotto answered, "I wouldn't know about Sora or what is his gain, but I vaguely believe that I know more about Luna somewhere in my brain."

Neither of the puzzled teens could process what they had just heard right now. So, despite the fact that these guys – given the confusing situation of Castle Oblivion – are fluently saying their names like they do know them well, most of them claim that they don't know them entirely. But then Shantotto did insist that she might've known Luna, albeit very vaguely. So then, what's the deal with the Traverse Town they're in? Maybe visiting Aerith might be the only chance they have to figure out what's wrong with this version of a familiar world.

"Strange, yes, but convenient!" Yuffie decided to just shrug the oddity off. "We can skip the introductions."

Leon, though, was not convinced. "How is it that you can accept a situation so quickly? I don't get you…"

"Well, we're off to see Aerith," the ninja paid no heed, "Let's go see her right now."

"Indeed, as much as I would love to run a test to sate this enthrall, there is confirmation to this peculiar paradox that is still needed after all," the professor agreed with an eerily eager gleam in her eyes.

Sora and Luna looked at their friends and each other before following along behind Leon and the others, hoping that when they do meet up with the rest of their old comrades, they might be able to shed some light as to what is going on and why everything in this version of Traverse Town is completely screwed up.

.

.

.

It wasn't long until the whole party arrived at the (should be former) hideout where they had gathered before, and are greeted by four more fellow refugees they had crossed paths with previously – Aerith, Seymour, Zidane and Gabranth. With the former, it's not too hard to recognize the pink dress and big ribbon in her hair; but with the latter three, it is mainly Luna and Medea who can pinpoint the nitty gritty details of their other friends thanks to the former having recovered a few of her broken memories, helping Sora recall what he knew of them. But given their current situation right now…

"Ah, here they are, the little vagabonds who got into this mess," the professor announced them, "Now that most of the gang is all here, let's just skip the formalities and see what we need to address."

Sora knew exactly what he meant to ask. "Aerith, have you forgotten us, too?"

Aerith knew that feeling. "I don't know whether to say 'nice to meet you' or 'good to see you again'. I don't think I know you, but I still feel like you belong here."

"Yeah, exactly! Like we've never met, but it still doesn't feel weird knowing your name," Yuffie agreed.

"What about you three?" Luna asked her selection of pals as she petted Pluto. "Is it the same with both of us, or there an opposite effect going on?"

Zidane scratched his head as he thought it over. "I dunno, but I'd say it's completely bonkers. I mean, it's like a sense of déjà vu or something along those lines."

"You and us both, monkey boy," Medea agreed reluctantly.

"Indeed, it is a paradoxical irony that baffles even me," Seymour shook his head, disappointment crossing his normally level-headed face. "Some of us have unusual notions of knowing Sora's name yet having the doubt of whether we knew him before. But it perplexes me even more that the rest of us would barely recall about our small friend while we have lacking knowledge of the boy in front of us."

"Ya think it's because our other friends have more memories of Luna than Sora?" Goofy wondered, "Leon and his buddies sound more aware of the flipside of the situation with Sora, don't they?"

"No wonder it's an irony," Donald agreed when he thought about the oddity of the matter.

Gabranth scoffed at them. "It's a wonder how your minds haven't broken yet."

"But I'm telling you, we HAVE met," Sora insisted strongly, "We took on the Heartless together. We were a team!"

"Well, maybe not directly, but they did give us some insight as to their movement," Luna corrected him, "And they did teach us a few things while we were here."

"You might as well be saying we did most of the dirty work," Medea commented sardonically.

"It sounds like you're both right… But I can't remember," Leon suspected something right, but still couldn't put his finger to it.

That disappointed Sora. "Then I guess you wouldn't remember what you told us. In Hollow Bastion, when I sealed the Keyhole: 'We may never meet again…'."

"…but we'll never forget each other," Leon finished.

"See, you do remember!" Sora pointed out.

Zidane looked at his stoic friend like he was being odd. "Really? Did you actually say it like that?"

"That's right, Leon! I remember you saying that, too," Yuffie admitted like she knew it was right.

"I also recall that Aerith said our hearts will bring us together again," Luna added, "and Yuffie said she couldn't forget us even if she wanted to."

"That certainly sounds about right," Seymour agreed with her.

"Ah, yes, there's a strong air of nostalgia contaminating our brains," Shantotto deadpanned, unimpressed about it. "I wonder if the cub has increased his mental capacity to higher than a few grains."

Leon frowned at the professor before he confessed, "I guess I can't write it off as a coincidence, then."

"I don't have any memory of it, but somehow I remember," Aerith agreed in retrospect, "I think your hearts are doing the remembering for us."

"Really?" Luna asked as Sora questioned, "Our…hearts?"

"We don't know you, Sora, but your heart is full of memories of us together," Aerith clarified to them, "The same could be said for Luna, with her memories of those she's met filling in the rest of the picture. Those memories must resonate in our hearts, too. Maybe they tell us things we couldn't otherwise know."

Leon looked over to her. "So you're saying Sora's and Luna's memories are affecting ours?"

"If her guess is correct – and I am certain that it is – then there's reason to believe their memories have a certain power," Seymour speculated, trying to fill the blanks in.

At least some of the ideas have given Sora and Luna enough reason to believe the theories surrounding the abnormality of the castle's effects and how the recreated world is affected by this tampering by that man. If what Aerith had theorized – and what Seymour had verified – is true, then it means that their shared memories are the answers for why the differences were easily noticeable and yet retained some sense of familiarity. Their synced memories stored in a single card might be the reason they were able to meet not only the people Sora met, but the people Luna met as well.

"Maybe it's like that guy said, then," Sora deduced from the information, "This town is an illusion. Something our memories created."

"I swear this sounds like something I'd hear during a drug trip or whatever," Medea groaned in frustration.

"It does sound rather trippy, true. But at least we're on to something," Luna consoled her Guardian.

But then Aerith brought up an interesting question. "And…there's someone special to you both in this town?"

That startled Sora. "How did you –" But he stopped himself. "Ah, I get it. Our memories are resonating with yours, telling you what happened. Yeah, a friend of mine is in this town – I mean, Castle Oblivion."

"I'm sure I heard that someone in my family is here, too," Luna added, "But why in the castle?"

Yuffie got confused. "Castle Oblivion? What's that? There aren't any castles in here."

"If there were one, though, I'd tickle myself pink if there's a princess to rescue," Zidane added in out of jest.

Gabranth slapped his head, groaning. "Your sense of humor is most distasteful."

"I don't think we meant it that way," Luna tried to explain themselves. "It's a bit…complicated."

"You're still not sure what's going on. Right?" Aerith asked.

"Right. We just got here, after all," Sora confirmed, "We want to take a better look around."

"Then go have a walk around town," Leon suggested to them. "There are Heartless, but that's no problem for you."

"What, you don't think we can fight?" Medea taunted.

"I can't say I know, but I feel like believing you," Leon replied, "Let's leave it at that."

"And while you're at it, would you make yourselves useful and go find Larsa, that simple-minded child?" Shantotto ordered, "I don't want to see a scratch on him from those Heartless running wild. Since his bodyguard isn't in the best of mood, perhaps you'd do better at handling the black brood. Now get a move on, little mage and silly clown, lest you want to see me angry if you dare to let me down!"

Now was as good a time as ever to get out and work around the town before somebody is forced to face a violent wrath, mostly since Sora and Luna don't want any more trouble on their hands – unless it is the Heartless. Perhaps they might be able to find more clues if they searched further into town, or they might not. There's only one way to find out…

* * *

In the midst of dealing with Heartless at irregular intervals and searching through the town, finding any clues to the phenomenon is a puzzle in it of itself. No matter where they looked, they couldn't find any leads that would help them understand what they're dealing with. If anything, the man who set this all up is flat-out trolling them by making them relive past scenarios and screwing with the inhabitants they've met before. If that's the case, then it just makes his business in Castle Oblivion all the more difficult to piece together.

"I'm starting to think that guy in black is making idiots of us," Donald commented later on.

"Nice to know someone's starting to think the same thing," Medea said sarcastically.

"But we're not getting anywhere in our investigations," Luna sighed in disappointment, "I don't think we'll be finding answers in the town at all."

"Well, then, why don't we find Larsa like the professor told us to?" Sora suggested, "Maybe we can find a lead through him."

"But where can we find him?" Goofy wondered.

"Probably someplace we haven't looked into yet," Medea guessed.

Further exploration of Traverse Town led them to the Third District of the town, where the party found not only Larsa, but also another compatriot, Cid, having a discussion when they arrived on the scene.

"Larsa?" Luna asked as Sora called, "That you, Cid?"

Cid turned in surprise. "Well, whaddya know? It's Sora and Luna!" But then he stopped, scratching his head in confusion. "Wait, what am I saying? I don't know you two. But you do LOOK like a Sora, what with the spiky hair and baggy pants… And the lady's got that dolled hair and funny outfit…"

"What are you talking about, Sir Cid?" Larsa asked, upon hearing everything. "Why wouldn't you know what they look like? I'm quite sure I've seen Luna before, though it's hard to admit the same for Sora."

"It's okay, Cid. That's our names," Sora reassured them. "Thanks for the clarification, Larsa."

"Why would we not know of you two?" Luna added.

Cid gave a little funny smirk. "So! You've heard of us, eh? Well, I can't say as I'm surprised."

"Anyway, maybe you can help us out," Sora quickly changed the subject. "A friend of mine's and a missing family of Luna's supposed to be somewhere in this castle – er, town. Got any ideas?"

Larsa thought about it for a moment. "I cannot say that I have, honestly. If there was mention of such thing, we would've learned about it from the start."

"Tell me about it. Lately all this town sees is Heartless," Cid agreed, "Can't even take two steps without getting attacked. In fact, this plaza's the worst. Word is, a jumbo-sized Heartless when that bell rings. If you value your hide, you'll get outta here while the gettin's good."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, but Cid had already left for cover.

"What Cid meant to say before leaving is that the Heartless seen around here is more dangerous than the rest," Larsa verified to her, "If you've seen what it can do, then I'm sure you wouldn't want to be here."

That got Goofy a little nervous. "Gawrsh, maybe we should leave."

Sora turned to the knight and raised a brow. "Don't you want to see the Heartless?"

"NO! We DON'T!" Donald protested.

"You're just asking for trouble, kid!" Medea added in chagrin at Sora's absurd idea.

But before Sora could explain himself, the loud ringing of the clock tower bell echoed through the district, alerting to the lurking danger to come.

"The bell!" Donald panicked.

"Be careful, you guys!" Goofy exclaimed in alarm.

Right on cue, from the moment the bell reached the finish of its ringing, a giant Heartless formed of disassembled armored parts fell from the sky until they formed into a titanic metal monster with hovering limbs and head like an incomplete knight's armor set. That meant they were in for an unavoidable fight right now.

Luna immediately turned to Larsa and warned, "You'd better get out of here, quickly! We'll deal with it."

Once the young boy was out of harm's way, everyone took up arms and prepared for their battle against the Guard Armor.

"Sora, if we get through this, I'm gonna hurt you for provoking that bugger," Medea growled as she readied her claws.

"Let's just focus on that thing for now," Sora interjected, "We'll just have each of us take out parts of the body and then go for the head, right?"

"That would be a smart move," Luna agreed as she readied her Hands.

The tactical approach they took for the Guard Armor is a relatively simple one: Donald and Goofy teamed up to incapacitate the legs clomping around on the ground with the combination of shield and magic attacks, Luna kept the arms at bay with her Shadow Hands while Sora and Medea took the battle directly toward the body and the head of the monster. The feet were easy to destroy since they're mostly rooted to the ground, but the arms were an annoyance since they loved to fly around as they please in order to trip up the team's tactics.

It didn't take long for them to finish off the fiend for good, saving Traverse Town from the havoc of the Heartless, allowing the streets to be safe to walk around again.

Not long after the Guard Armor had been defeated, their old friends arrived on the scene to find Sora and the others alive after all they've warned regarding the Heartless. It can only be safely guessed that Larsa alerted them to the fiend that showed up to cause trouble, and most likely told them what Sora and Luna were about to do against it.

Zidane was actually impressed on it, "Whoa! I guess you really knew what you were doing."

"Is everyone alright?" Seymour asked, worried that the Heartless might've done something.

"We're alright, don't worry," Luna reassured him.

"So your friend and family aren't here?" Yuffie shifted the topic.

Sora shook his head in disappointment. "No, I don't think I'll find him in this town. But he's somewhere in this castle. I just know it."

"I don't know what the deal is about my family, but I think the answer is somewhere," Luna added.

Cid showed a look of disbelief. "Castle? Like this whole town's in some humongous castle? Hoo, that's rich!"

"They're probably right, Cid," Leon said firmly, "We may not understand what's going on, but Sora and Luna do. They can see that reality is bigger than this world."

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I was that sure."

"I'm more worried about what we might find after this," Luna confessed in concern.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Larsa assured them confidently, "It won't matter what shape reality will take, so long as you're sure you can handle it."

"Larsa's right about that. I may not remember you both," Leon agreed, "but I know you two in my heart."

After being given short farewells and good lucks from their friends (and a reluctant one from Gabranth), it seemed like everyone would proceed to go their separate ways. That is, until one unforeseen moment occurred for Sora and Luna: just as Donald and Goofy started walking away, Sora, Luna and Medea were about to follow suit when the Guardian in particular noticed Aerith and Shantotto about to stop them.

"Something up?" Medea asked, raising a puzzled brow.

"I don't have all the answers, but I had to tell you something," Aerith replied, concern crossing her face. Your memories created this town, right?'

"That's what the guy who gave us the card said," Sora replied, uncertain where this was going.

"If that's true, then this town is just a figment of your minds…and so are we," Aerith said, a tint of sadness barely kept hidden.

"But…you can't be a figment!" Sora didn't want to believe it. "You're standing right here. The town is here, too!"

"Oh, stop that, and don't be so tense!" Shantotto scolded angrily, "Are you expecting everything to maintain a 'real' world worth sixpence? Your sage-minded friend doesn't remember what she should and senses what she should not, or has your inadequate brain already started to rot?"

At least it got Sora to stop and think it over. Both ladies had good points, and they certainly don't doubt something is off.

"Sora, Luna, beware your memories," Aerith warned them, "In the journey to come, you'll be faced with more illusions. Sometimes the shadows of your memory will deceive you, try to lead you astray."

"That doesn't sound good to me…" Luna admitted, unable to shake off her worries of what's to come.

"On your part, my dear, I'd be more careful on who you can trust," the professor warned to Luna with narrowed eyes, "lest whomsoever means to sabotage you will try to force all you know to bite the dust. Whether they claim to be a friend or a brother, don't assume that they are always in the know. After all, even the most cunning of man will have to reap what they sow."

"I'm not sure I know what that means…" Sora got confused.

Aerith shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. I'm just another illusion. The truth is out of my reach."

"Oh…" Luna sighed in disappointment.

"Don't say that stuff. It's depressing…" Sora said, feeling the same thing.

"Stay strong, you two," the lady in pink told them, "Don't let the illusions distract you from what is truly important."

Sora nodded. "Okay…"

"We'll be careful…" Luna agreed.

"Sora! Luna!"

Donald's calling to them caught their attention, making them turn to find that their friends were almost on their way out of the town – in a manner of speaking.

"Are you ready to go?" Goofy asked to be sure.

"I think so. I'll be right over," Luna said as she started to walk over.

But then Sora's baffled tone caught her attention. "Aerith? Shantotto?"

Luna turned back to find that Sora had apparently looked back to say good-bye to Aerith and Shantotto before leaving, only to find that they've disappeared without a trace.

"What about them?" Donald asked.

"Where did they go? Luna and I were just talking to them!" Sora replied anxiously.

"Aerith and Shantotto left with Leon and the others, remember?" Goofy reminded him.

Medea looked around a bit. "Funny you guys are saying that. I'm pretty damn sure Luna was being held up because of them for a moment."

Luna turned to Sora. "If what they're saying to us is true…"

"…Then this is must be what Aerith and the professor meant?" Sora finished her sentence, thinking the same thoughts.

"But…why would the professor warn about who to trust in the castle?" Luna wondered as she started to follow their pals. "Could it be possible that there's something going on we aren't aware of?"

Sora shrugged his shoulders as he followed her. "I don't know. All I know is that I'm worried about what to expect as soon as we get out of here."


	3. Chapter 2: Axel

**Guess who's come rolling in?**

 **Oh, yeah, it's Axel! Got it memorized, readers?**

 **Okay, okay, all joking aside, I'm pretty sure you guys saw this one coming.**

 **Anyways, I apologize if this chapter is a lot shorter than the last, but I tried my best to add a little more flavor into it since this is Luna and Medea that are strung along for the ride and got mixed up into this mess.**

 **But, on the bright side, I'm in the process of bringing in Riku's side of the story, since I do intend to shift back and forth between the two sides of the CoM spectrum (seriously, has anyone else actually tried to combine the two storylines rather than split it apart into separate stories?). And don't you worry, readers, I can assure that Riku will not be alone in his adventures through the basement. Besides some interventions from our dearest Mickey, I have another person planned who will be lending him a hand as they go through the lower half of the castle.**

 **Just like I said in the previous chapter, I am open to suggestions on which worlds I should expand upon on Riku's side of the story since just going through the worlds and fighting the boss would be so goddamn boring (and I don't wanna stick with the castle halls forever). With your input and ideas, I'll be able to map out what worlds I can use on the Sora side to balance it out.**

 **Please don't keep me waiting for ideas. Even I need some help sometimes.**

 **That being said, enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 2 – Axel

When the doors opened up, Sora, Luna, and their friends emerged from the man-made world they were in earlier and returned to the blindingly white halls of Castle Oblivion. However, as soon as they got out, they were greeted by the same hooded man who set up the bait to reel them into proceeding through in the first place. In fact, he didn't even seem fazed by the fact that none of them are too happy to see him personally after all the crap he dragged them into from the moment they set foot into the castle.

"Well, Sora and Luna? Did you enjoy meeting your memories?" the hooded man asked mockingly.

"Yeah, it was good to see everyone," Sora replied with a hint of bitterness, "But what do you really want from us?"

"Care to give us one good reason why we shouldn't be attacking you right now?" Luna added, trying to hold back her urge to hurt something.

"What do you have to give?" the hooded man asked back at them.

Suspecting a fight, Sora summoned his keyblade as Luna summoned her Shadow Hands when the hooded man started to make his way towards them. But before a violent confrontation could be confirmed, a swirl of darkness formed behind the hooded man and revealed another individual dressed in the black coat.

However, they could see a face for the new person who interrupted the moment. In contrast to the unknown man, he was a taller, thinner man with red hair spiking out from the back and teardrop markings under the bright green eyes; also, he doesn't seem to be giving a damn at the tension in the sir from the moment he suddenly showed up in the hall.

He gave a cocky smirk as he said, "Hello!"

Sora tensed a bit when he saw the newcomer, but Luna and Medea couldn't help staring in confusion at the eerily familiar face.

The hooded man was annoyed at the intrusion. "What do you want?"

"No hogging the hero and the mage," the redhead said in mocked scolding.

Feeling a bit of defeat, the hooded man shifted and threw a card at the redheaded man as said man caught the hand expertly in his hand.

"Then perhaps you'd like to test them," the man said dryly as he disappeared.

"Perhaps I would," the redhead replied. When the hooded one was gone, he turned to Sora and Luna. "My show now, Keyblade Master and Shadow Mage. Who am I? Oh, the name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

Sora felt hesitant a moment. "Uh…sure."

Luna looked to her Guardian. "Medea…didn't someone say something like that?"

"Yeah, that sounds way too familiar…" Medea agreed with suspicion.

"Good. You're quick learners," Axel commented, "So, you two, now that we're getting to know each other better…"

With a slight tremor flowing within the hall, Axel forced his arms to the sides and within bursts of spiraling flame, two bladed chakrams formed into his hands as he readied himself to battle them head-on. Immediately, everyone took their positions with their weapons and braced themselves for a tough fight.

"…don't you go off and die on me now," he finished as he clutched his weapons.

If there was one way to describe fighting Axel, it's like trying to tame the constantly fickle bursts of a wildfire. Sometimes he would get in there directly with his chakrams and use them as regular projectiles (occasionally adding his fire to give them more pain), or otherwise he would trip them up when summoning a fiery wall to spread across the room. Not to mention, he was a difficult opponent to keep track of and pin down, since he knows when to teleport himself out of harm's way and when to take advantage of any openings he can find.

"Why can't I use any other spells on that guy?" Donald complained as he kept slinging Blizzard spells, "It's like every other spell I use doesn't even bother him!"

"Well, you do remember the last time you bungled using your magic, don't ya?" Goofy asked.

The duck paled a bit when he recalled one incident that almost got them killed, earning a harsh reprimanding from a certain Guardian.

On Sora and Luna's part, this was their first time dealing with an adversary that constantly kept them on their toes. Between the two of them, Luna could barely keep herself from getting caught in the flames with her Shadow Hands blocking the oncoming infernos while Sora had trouble getting a lock-on with this lanky man since he hasn't dealt with an opponent this sly and troublesome before. In fact, there have been times where Luna was forced to use her Shadow Stealth to help Sora evade the fire walls the fire wielder would use against them just to keep him from getting scorched too much.

"I've heard of turning up the heat, but this is ridiculous!" Sora couldn't help spilling out.

"I've never seen this much fire in my life," Luna agreed, wide-eyed from surprise.

In the case of Medea, though, despite her flexible maneuverability, she found herself in a stalemate with this lanky combatant. It's like the two were doing more than just duking it out until someone drops their guard; if anything, it acted more like she was being toyed with and teased by an admirer she wasn't aware of, especially since he wasn't shy about eyeing her movements time to time with every clash.

"Whoo! Gorgeous yet tough as nails," Axel said in a teasing tone, "That's not something you see every day, isn't it?"

"What the hell makes you say that?" Medea retorted as her claws met his chakrams.

"Aw, playing hard to get, are you?" the redhead taunted playfully, "And I was hoping we could go out together some time."

To her shock, something within those words sparked a familiar thought buried inside Medea's mind: where had she heard that before?

However, from the second she was caught off-guard by his comments, she almost got caught by the small blades of the chakrams and was forced to barely evade it while keeping the edges of her claws ready to stop the oncoming attacks directed at her.

Thankfully, when they finally did defeat him, it seemed like he had retreated and left behind a card for them to use. The only thing is, nobody noticed that the fight actually seemed almost too easy…

"Another card," Goofy said as Sora clutched the card in his hand, "What's it do?"

Jiminy poked out from Sora's hood to examine it. "Hmm. Kinda looks the card you used to make Traverse Town."

"Then I guess we're gonna need it to keep going…" Sora guessed.

"It seems that way," Luna agreed cautiously, "But is it really the only way?"

"That's right."

Startled, everyone got a big shock to find that Axel is actually still around, casually leaning against the wall like he doesn't give a damn.

"Axel!" Donald quacked in shock.

"Why does it not shock me you'd still be here?" Medea questioned in dull surprise.

Axel just gave them a cocky smirk. "Did you think after that introduction, I would just give up oh so easily?"

Then it clicked in Sora's head. "You were testing us."

Luna turned to Sora, confused about it. "He was?"

"And you passed. Congratulations, you two!" Axel replied, acting like he enjoyed their first impressions. "You're ready now – ready to take on Castle Oblivion. You will need to follow your memories. Trust what you remember and seek what you forget. Then you will find someone very special."

Goofy got curious about it. "You mean King Mickey and Riku?"

Axel chuckled dryly. "You will just have to give some more thought to who it is that's most important to you. Our most precious memories lie so deep within our hearts that they're out of reach. But I'm sure that you can find yours, Sora and Luna."

"Why me?" Sora wanted to know.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.

"You have lost sight of the light within the darkness," he replied, "And it seems that you've forgotten that you forgot."

"That doesn't make a lick of sense," Medea commented in annoyance.

Sora seemed to question what their enemy meant. "The light within darkness…"

That was when Axel did something unexpected: extending a hand out to them, like he was more than happy to help them out. But can that be trusted?

"Would you like me to give you a hint?" he asked, behaving like he doesn't bite.

An eerie silence filled the room when Sora and Luna had to ponder the offer that had been brought up rather strangely. It sounded like he knew something that none of them are aware of, given how they supposedly started losing particular memories from the moment they set foot inside the castle. But on the other hand, given that he sounded like he knew the hooded man from before, how can this fiery stranger be trusted with their own lives after everything they've gone through before arriving at the castle?

Goofy, a little worried about it, asked, "Sora? Luna? Do ya need it?"

While Sora took a moment to think it over, Luna turned to her Guardian for any suggestions she might have to the situation.

"Medea…should we seek his help?" Luna asked quietly to her, "He sounds like he knows something."

"Where I'm standing, girl, I'm a bit on edge with this guy right now," Medea replied in a hushed tone, "I'd say we wait a while until we found any clues as to what the hell we're dealing with."

It didn't take long for both of them to come to a decision.

"I'm gonna figure it out for myself," Sora decided. "And if you're in our way –"

Donald suddenly jumped in front. "Don't worry, Sora! We'll protect you guys!"

"I'd rather investigate this at my own pace," Luna agreed, moving close to her Guardian.

Axel just let his hand drop as he chuckled at them. "Good answer. Just what I'd expect from the Keyblade master and the Shadow Mage." He paused. "But be forewarned…when your sleeping memories awaken, you may no longer be who you are now."

Then, in moments, he vanished into the dark aura, leaving no trace of his existence within the halls; this left the remaining party with a lot to consider after what just happened all at once. Or at least, that would've been possible if all the uncanny business they've gotten themselves into hadn't pushed the boys to the first idea they could think of since they got here.

"I wonder what that was about…" Goofy was curious.

"I dunno, but I don't wanna stick around forever," Sora answered as he started walking, "C'mon, let's keep going and see what we'll be visiting next with this card."

"Right behind you!" Donald said as he hurried along.

But as soon as the boys have already gone far enough ahead, the girls were about to move along to keep up with them when…

"Hold up now, ladies. Isn't there something else we need to discuss about?"

Luna and Medea stopped in their tracks and turned to find Axel right behind them. This guy just doesn't let up, now does he?

"What else is there to talk about?" Luna asked, "I thought I said I'd figure it out on my own."

"Oh, trust me, I heard you the first time," Axel replied, waving it off, "But hear an honest man out, huh? Listen: you've heard about someone waiting for you guys inside this castle, and probably heard tidbits about a missing family member hiding out. Quite the talk of the halls, am I right?"

"Hell, yeah, it is. Too bad that freak didn't fully spill the beans for us," Medea rebuked impatiently.

"Well, then, what if I told you that there's one little detail the host forgot about?" he asked them, dropping the bait to see what happens. When both women raised a brow in confusion and curiosity, he decided to give them the twist. "Get this: before you got here, someone managed to creep into the castle without anybody knowing it. But, who could it be, I wonder? Oh, wait! I think I know."

Sparked with curiosity, Luna asked, "Who is it? Who else is in the castle?"

"Where are you going with this?" Medea added, suspicious on the information.

The redhead gave a devilish grin. "The answer…will have to wait until you keep going in the castle."

All curiosity that built up over the surprise twist was immediately shot down when both girls came to realize that he was trolling with them. The intrigue is still there, but they felt disappointed that he won't tell them what he knows, especially since he did mention that there is another person somewhere in the middle of the castle and they never knew about it from the beginning. But then again, since Luna insisted on investigating the castle at her own pace, she should've expected him to not want to spoil the information until she made progress through the halls and learned something along the way.

"You're messing with us, aren't you?" Medea groaned bitterly.

"Aw, don't be upset about it. If you both give a good performance for me, I'll be nice and tell you about it later," Axel assured them (although they couldn't tell whether he was being earnest about it or not). "Just don't tell Sora what you've just found out, or he's not gonna be able to wrap it around his head."

Luna wasn't sure why he would say that, but something in the back of her mind told her that since Axel is not giving away the details, it's best not to dwell on it for the rest of the trip up the castle so that the answers can be given out without a hassle later on. Still, why leave Sora out of it? Would any new developments possibly confuse him if revealed too soon? Maybe it would be best to play it safe and not talk about it on their way up.

"Okay, then, we'll do it your way," Luna agreed reluctantly, "But I can't promise that I'll keep this a secret forever."

He just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Fine by me. But look on the bright side, at least you have an idea that there's more to the suspense." As he turned away from them, he added one last thing for them to hear. "Oh, by the way, while you're going up, kindly give my regards to Nero for me, will ya?"

When he left them in a swirl of darkness (for real, this time), Luna and Medea were left with more questions than answers as to what they've learned from their unusual adversary. On Luna's part, she couldn't help questioning who he was talking about: who is this person he mentioned so brazenly, and what's that stranger's part in the journey? The most Medea wanted to know is what is going on at this point.

"That was seriously screwy. What's he trying to suggest to us?" Medea asked out of the blue.

"I wish I could understand what he's thinking," Luna admitted, "but I'm a Shadow Mage, not a psychic. Maybe he wants to tell us everything, but he doesn't want anyone spying on us. Or maybe he is just messing with us, just like that man with his hood up. Still, I can't help but think that he is more aware of the situation than we believe we are."

"Yeah, maybe you're right about that," her Guardian agreed reluctantly, "All the same, we'd better watch our step as we keep moving upstairs. If anything out of whack happens, you'd better let me know or else we're in serious trouble."

"You're right. We should be more careful…" Luna agreed with her.

"Luna! Medea! Where are you two?"

"What're you stalling around for? Hurry up!"

Sora and Donald's calling from upstairs abruptly caught their attention when both ladies realized that their comrades have gone much farther up ahead than they have, and are starting to wonder what's taking them so long to keep up. That meant they'll have to hurry up and rendezvous with them in order to keep up appearances with them whilst keeping their private business with Axel under wraps until the right moment.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going," Luna said as she started to walk away, "We can't keep the boys waiting for us."

"And knowing the duck, he's probably gonna have his feathers ruffled if we told them what that redhead spoke with us about," Medea agreed as she followed close behind.


	4. Chapter 3: Hollow Bastion - Riku

**Hello, everyone!**

 **And guess what? I just got a start on the Riku side of the spectrum! Ain't that exciting?**

 **And true to my word, I made sure that he's not gonna be alone throughout his journey in the basement. Though, I'm pretty sure some of you did notice the summary of Chained Hearts and had reason to believe that this was bound to happen given what I had just barely mentioned.**

 **Anyways, as you already know, I'll be flip-flopping back and forth between the two sides since I don't want to be lazy and write them separately because I'd make such a tactic redundant.**

 **That being said, enjoy!**

 **To Gry20: Guess what? Mama's come into town.**

 **To blueorchid7: Don't worry. Zexion will show up soon. I just need to deal with Ansem in the next chapter (annoying as hell of a guy, btw).**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 3 – B12, Hollow Bastion, Riku

Waking up in this endless gray abyss, Riku had no idea how he got there, nor how long he had floating there. The last thing he remembered after closing the door was trying to help King Mickey, and then… Well, he had no idea what happened after that. Though he chose to make the first step to redemption by helping prevent the darkness from escaping in full force, it came at the cost of being separated from his friends and being trapped in the other side, the chances of escaping slim to none.

"Where am I…" he wondered.

Then, a voice wormed through the empty nothingness. _"Stay asleep."_

Now alert, Riku heaved himself up into a slightly straighter position as he searched for the source of the voice, all too familiar to him.

"Who's there?!" he demanded to know.

 _"_ _You should remain asleep. Here, between light and dark."_

Now Riku was confused. "Between…what?" Remembering the king, fear crossed his mind "The king! Where's the king!? Together we closed the door to darkness, and then –"

 _"_ _You came drifting here by yourself. You did not have the strength to overcome the darkness. Or…maybe you were close to it."_

He was not amused at what the voice had to say. "Hmph. As if I'm some kind of demon."

 _"_ _Turn from the light. Shut your eyes. Here, blanketed by the darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal. But…"_

In the midst of the dull abyss, a flash gleamed before Riku's eyes, momentarily blinding him until he could see a card floating in front of him. This one, however, had a small image of a world all too familiar to him – the very world he found himself in after he lost his island home, none other than Hollow Bastion.

"What's this?" Riku asked.

 _"_ _It is a door to the truth. Take it and your sleep ends, as you take the first step toward the truth. But know this: the truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There is no return to the security of sleep."_

Well, that left him with a rather interesting dilemma: either be trapped in this abyss of nothing, or to get out and face whatever it is that card has to hold. As far as Riku was concerned, he knew what he wanted to do: first, to get out. Wherever he'll end up, he wants to do whatever it takes to make amends with his close friends and find a way back to them. After all, he has a friend who he asked to look after Kairi, and a special someone who he promised to return to.

Just thinking of Sora and Luna out there, somewhere, looking for him gave him enough courage to take the second option. After all, if there's something he can do to wash off the hands he dirtied with his stupid mistakes which almost cost him his friends and his own life, what else can he do at this point?

He smirked a bit. "This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway."

The voice apparently found it amusing. _"That was very well said, Riku."_

In an instant, the card flashed brightly as Riku forced himself to look away for a moment, not knowing what was happening to him and the environment around him…

.

.

.

.

…But when he was able to regain clarity with his sight, Riku suddenly surprised to find himself in a completely different location – but at least it wasn't the abyss. Looking around, he could see that the new place he was brought into is a bright, blindingly white hallway leading forward to a door just waiting a little ways above a small staircase; there were a few décor on the wall and columns lined up symmetrically, all white just like the rest of the room.

While he had no idea what the deal behind it is, he did have a strange reason to believe that the card still in his hand might have something to do with it.

He held it to his eye level and mused, "The door to the truth, huh…"

He didn't get the chance to decide what to do next when he stopped to sense something out of place approaching the room he is in. He had no idea what it is, but he knew he had to ready for anything.

A dark, billowing portal formed from the ground up as a peculiar stranger entered the room, apparently alone. At first, Riku couldn't see who it was, but he could barely tell from the physicality that the newcomer is a woman – and taller than he is, obviously. When the hooded woman stopped, she raised her hands to shed the protection off as the cloak itself dissolved away to reveal her full form for him to see.

The woman stood elegantly in a long, form-fitting black dress with a small train at the back and long black gloves on her arms; a long blue cloak delicately slung over her shoulders as the edges were clasped by silver braces on her wrists, and an elaborate headdress rests on her head, holding a veil over her eyes. Though he couldn't see her face fully at first, a small shift allowed him to notice the woman has long, black doll-curled hair falling down to her upper legs hiding behind the headdress and azure blue eyes hiding under the thin veil.

Almost on instinct, Riku summoned his Soul Eater blade and readied it in case this new face is an enemy.

"Who are you?" he demanded, getting the stranger's attention.

When she turned to face him, the woman's face showed surprise from not realizing that someone is in the hall with her. It gave Riku reason to believe that she failed to notice him until he directed his question to her.

"Oh! Pardon me. I didn't see you," the woman apologized in surprise, "I thought I was the only person down here. Apparently not…"

Though still uncertain on the new person with him, Riku found himself able to relax a little when he didn't sense any hostility on her; however, he couldn't help wondering what aura he was sensing around her…

Nonetheless, he carefully lowered his blade aside and decided to talk with her and uncover what her business is within this unfamiliar place he found himself in with her.

"Well, I guess I'm not different on that thought," Riku admitted, "I just got here, with no idea where I ended up and then you suddenly showed up out of the blue. But what're you doing here, ma'am? I doubt you're here just to visit this place."

She shook her head. "No, I am not. I came here to investigate this castle, find out what went on within these walls. But given the…dubious nature of this place, I couldn't take chances of exploring too close to those auras that linger somewhere above." She paused a moment. "You say that you have no idea where you ended up, didn't you? I might not be able to provide all the details, but I can tell you that you're inside a castle. I would know about that since I saw what the outside was like before I created my own door inside this place."

As baffling as it was, at least it gave Riku an idea on where he is. But it also made him wonder if investigating a castle is the only thing on this woman's mind. She must have a reason to come here in the first place, right under anyone's noses. After all, he had his reasons for wanting to get out of that abyss, so why would it be any different now that he is someplace new with only one means to progress in this new location?

"In that case, maybe you can help with something," he propositioned to her.

This got the woman interested. "In what way might I help?"

"I have two friends I know of. One is named Sora, a friend of mine since a small age," Riku replied, "And the other is a girl named Luna, about his age now and someone I helped look after since she arrived on the islands. A lot has happened…" He faltered a bit from the bad memories of what he had done against them, but continued. "And…I made terrible mistakes that almost cost my friends. I want to find them, and I want to mend the damage that I caused. Also, I promised Luna that I'd return to her."

The instant he brought up Luna's name, though, he noticed that she had a stunned look on her face – almost like a feeling of déjà vu crossed her mind. It made him wonder if that name sounded familiar to her…

"Luna, you say? Do you believe she is here?" she asked out of curiosity.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But I'm sure I don't wanna stick around here." He looked down at the card. "Whatever that voice was talking about, this card is the only thing that can help make progress."

When she heard mention of a card, he watched her come closer to take a look at the very thing in his hand. Not long after getting a good look at the strange item, one of her brows rose as she took note of the picture implanted on it.

"That castle…Have you been there before?" she asked.

"You have no idea…" Riku replied to her, bad memories prodding into his mind.

"I see… Well, since we're both here looking for something, I believe the first courtesy would be to get acquainted with a fellow traveler," the woman said, changing her topic, "My name is Noir. And what are you called?"

"I'm Riku," he replied.

"Alright, then, Riku, since we're both here, perhaps you wouldn't mind if I accompanied you through the castle?" Noir asked him.

As strange as it sounded, Riku had a feeling that he can trust her; perhaps she might have a better idea of what might be lurking in this place. Plus, there wasn't any harm having an adult around since he hasn't seen his family since the disaster on the islands. Maybe while he sticks around Noir, he might be able to learn more about her and what her agenda is. Who knows?

"I don't see anything wrong with it," he replied, "Two heads are better than one, wouldn't you think?"

She chuckled a bit. "That sounds reasonable to me."

Leading the way to the door ahead, Riku used the card in his hand as the door opened to allow the new visitors passage into whatever awaited them beyond this point.

"Here goes nothing," he said, ready for whatever may come.

"There's no going back now," Noir agreed as she followed behind him.

* * *

Sure enough, the two of them found themselves on an outside balcony of a castle ruined and desecrated; aside from crumbling walls and broken towers, pipes could be found laced around the place, sometimes blowing off steam and smoke from their enormous heads, and other neglected machineries left unused by whoever last owned the castle. Stained glass windows decorated the castle, but it only provided the littlest amount of beauty in the otherwise desolate citadel after its demise.

"Riku…do you know what this place is?" Noir asked him.

Riku looked around as he recognized the place. "It's Hollow Bastion!"

The voice he heard before came back. _"What you see is not real. It's the world of your memory."_

Now he was confused. "My memory?"

 _"_ _The things you remember from your time at Maleficent's castle became a card, and that card made this world. You've seen everything here before, haven't you?"_

"Yeah…" Riku admitted reluctantly. "So what now? Am I going to learn something? Maybe meet someone?"

 _"_ _You would meet the people in your memories,"_ the voice replied, _"Ordinarily."_

"Meet people…" Noir wondered.

"What does that mean?" Riku demanded to know. He didn't get an answer. "Hey! I'm asking you a question!" After a moment of silence, he gave up. "Fine. But it'd better be you I run across next, Voice."

"Whoever it is that's talking, he certainly loves the sound of his voice," Noir said, with a hint of sarcasm. "I'd hate to find out who was talking to you earlier."

"Whoever it is, we're not getting any more unless we look around," Riku agreed with her on it, "C'mon, let's investigate the castle, and see what we can find."

"I couldn't agree more," she agreed, "Though, since this is your memory as that voice said, perhaps you can lead the way?"

He knew she was right about that. They are inside his memories, and it's very likely that the voice doesn't even know for the time being that there's someone else with him as well. So, by logic, she wouldn't know how he went through the place when he was last there, and he would have to guide her through the halls until they can leave the broken castle for good.

"Right, then. Just follow me, and stay close," he instructed her. "We might have trouble along the way."

Noir nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."

.

.

.

.

Apparently, he was right about having his new companion following close with him; not long after entering into the castle itself, he quickly discovered that the card world wasn't going to just let them travel through the halls without encountering the one nuisance that he had once been accustomed to before: the Heartless. But then again, since he had once gotten involved with the wrong people ever since the destruction of his home and making a deal with the witch, he should've seen it coming a mile away.

"I guess there's no avoiding these guys, is there?" he couldn't help saying, readying his blade for the oncoming critters.

"You sound as though you've dealt with the Heartless before," Noir noticed.

At first, Riku handled the Heartless that made their way to them with the powerful work of his blade and his impressive athleticism; considering that the first rounds were nothing more than littler Heartless that were much easier to eliminate, it's no surprise he can handle it without breaking a sweat.

But when a larger Heartless made an appearance, it didn't take note of Riku and instead set its attention on his companion!

"Noir!" Riku started to turn back to help her.

But then, when he least expected it, Noir briskly raised her arm toward the large Heartless and – at that instant – a large black hand emerged from the shadows and grabbed the creature with its sharp fingers. Then, in sync with her movement, she made the hand smash the monster against the wall, subsequently destroying it. When the smaller ones took notice that someone's fighting back, they made to get at her; but then she summoned more of them and used each conjuration to swipe them out of existence until it seemed there's no more left for the time being.

However, on Riku's part, he was having mixed feelings of shock and déjà vu from watching the show. He knew he had seen Luna do something like this, but he never thought that this woman, who he had just gotten acquainted with, was capable of doing the same thing. Just who was he really dealing with?

"Ma'am…those hands…" he was almost at a loss for words. "Did you just summon those hands like Luna does? As far as I know, she's the only person who can do that stuff without freaking too many people out."

"Pardon?" she asked in confusion. But then she remembered what she did. "Oh…You mean my Dark Hands. If I startled you about it, I'm terribly sorry. As a Shadow Mage, I am able to summon the shadows to aid me at my beckon call. Though, given how you said that you've seen something like that, I take it you've only seen one other person who could do what I've done."

He nodded, still wide-eyed. "Yeah…basically…"

"However, given our situation right now, I think it'd be best to save the questions for later," Noir suggested, "Once we're out of this recreated castle, we'll talk about it as much as you need to if you need help understanding."

He knew she had a somewhat legit point right there. They're traversing around a location familiar to him, and any questions he might have at the moment will have to be put on hold until they've met whoever invited him to navigate the place without telling who this source of the voice really is. That being said, he couldn't help noticing his mind insisting she knows a lot more than she's letting on; perhaps Noir knows about the shady business with the castle they just met in, and she isn't ready to spill everything?

"Fair enough," Riku agreed, airing on caution. "Let's keep going."

* * *

Their traverse through Hollow Bastion led the two past a door to a small bedroom fit for one guest. Though, the furnishings left a lot to be desired, since there's only one bed nestled in the corner of the room and two bookshelves aligned together in another corner; it didn't help that there are more pipes protruding out from the ceiling and the room is rather poorly lit, making this spot feel more like a dungeon than an actual room.

Riku looked around as he took in the place. "Everything IS just how I remember it. Even this room…"

Noir scanned the room as she asked, "And what manner of host would leave a room like this without a little light to see in?"

"I guess a certain someone didn't think about that," Riku dryly joked.

Then, on cue, the voice reappeared. _"It must be nice being back in your old bedroom. Think of all the memories…"_

Riku frowned. "You again. Sorry, but these memories I can do without. Maleficent gave me this room."

Noir turned when she heard that. "No wonder this room is anything but homey."

 _"_ _So she did. And you lived here, tempted by the darkness she offered. You cast away your home, your friends, everything…even the girl you supposedly helped recover. But at least they gave you a nice bedroom."_

That hit a nerve for him. "Stop talking!"

Fortunately, Noir stopped him and placed a hand to his shoulder. "Riku, you don't have to take those words at face value. Whatever it is you went through in the past, don't let your mistakes be the deciding factor about yourself. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't recognized your errors and sought to step to make amends."

Her reassurance helped him calm down. "Thanks… That voice was really getting on my nerves."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure someone is just trying to undermine you," she assured him gently. Then, she shifted the topic. "Now then…am I to assume you know who this 'Maleficent' is? Was she the person who brought you to this broken castle when you first got here?"

Truth be told, he really didn't want to talk about that witch, who manipulated him into aiding her bid to dominate all worlds and turned him against his closest friends. Worse still, it was cringing for him to recall that he actually attacked Luna when she stood against him – and he should've known that she had good reason to not trust Maleficent in the first place! He would never forgive himself if anything worse happened to her. Not to mention, he royally screwed things over with his relations with his childhood friend Sora; he failed to notice those moments when he went out of his way to support Luna when she had problems, and he was even tricked to fighting his own friend because of his jealousy over him.

But he had reason to believe that his partner probably didn't know about the witch, much less on what she had done. Perhaps it couldn't be helped.

"Maleficent…was a witch. She was the one who found me outside of Hollow Bastion when the islands were lost to the darkness," Riku explained to her, "She was the reason why I made those mistakes I mentioned earlier. She was the one who convinced me that Sora betrayed me, and tried to pull away from Luna. All for her own selfish gains…"

Noir could tell from the frown on his face that he hated to relive what he went through, but at least she got an idea on who this person is that Riku came to despise so much with a burning passion.

"I see…that explains the bitter memory you have of her," she said as she pieced it together, "I suppose if I met her, I wouldn't favor her either."

"You wouldn't. She was in control over the castle at the time," Riku agreed with her.

"If that's the case, then there's a likely chance that there might be more of those black creatures waiting to come at us as we go," Noir deduced.

"Probably," he agreed as they started to leave.

It was for the better that they left as soon as possible. The more they can find in this illusory castle, the sooner they can leave the place.

.

.

.

.

Trust to what the both of them expected, wherever they went in Hollow Bastion, more Heartless emerged from the shadows to greet them in the most unpleasant of ways. But at the very least, it helped Riku a lot having Noir aid him with her Dark Hands against the tougher Heartless that showed up while he handled the rest of them with his blade. Nonetheless, it was rather frustrating to find that there's nobody else residing in the castle; everywhere they searched, all they found were Heartless, Heartless, and more Heartless. Was there really nobody else to cross paths except these black monsters?

This annoyance got to Riku as they reached the balcony toward the main entrance. "No one here either…There's nothing but Heartless in this castle."

"One would think that someone would be here to notice us, or else we wouldn't be on this wild goose chase," Noir agreed with a sigh.

With nowhere else to go but down to the main hall, Riku jumped off the balcony and landed on his feet efficiently while a Dark Hand emerged to lift Noir from the perch and gently set her down to the floor.

"Voice! I know you're watching!" Riku shouted towards nowhere. "So explain this! Where are the people from my memories?"

The voice responded curtly, _"Do you want to see them?"_

"Of course I do," Riku replied impatiently.

 _"_ _But you cast them aside."_

"What?"

 _"_ _You dreamt of the outside world, and you passed through the door to darkness. Behind them, your left family, friends, home – everything – all in pursuit of darkness."_

But he wasn't having any of that. "But I cast that aside, too!"

 _"_ _And what do you have to show for it?"_ the voice mocked him. _"First your home, then the dark. Your heart only knows how to cast away. It's empty - like that room. Like your memories. That's why you don't meet anyone. Your heart is hollow – except for the residual darkness."_

"You're wrong! I rejected the darkness!" Riku protested angrily.

The voice laughed dryly. _"Did you really, now?"_

After the voice stopped talking, Noir took the chance to ease Riku's worries.

"I don't know what you went through, but don't think about it too much," Noir reassured him to the best of her ability. "Darkness is not everything. I would know because I use it, but I am not like others who misuse it to harm innocents."

That cooled him down somewhat. "At least that makes you different, Noir. I don't know where I stand now, but I know I don't want the dark to rule over me."

"That will do nicely, for the moment," she agreed, but then lifted her head to sense something sinister further ahead. "There's a strong, malicious aura emanating from the far corners of the castle. Is it the witch you spoke about?"

Riku nodded grimly. "It's her, alright. And I think I know where to find her…"

* * *

Using the limited awareness of the resident, the two followed the trail and traced the aura they noticed back in the main entrance hall all the way to an open door leading to a dark chamber dimly lit by green flames. Riku had no doubt that the witch is lurking in there, waiting for him so that she could mock him. However, he couldn't help wondering if Maleficent ever noticed that he isn't alone ever since he first set foot in this place with Noir. Then again, the voice didn't seem to pay attention to her; maybe the talker hasn't sensed her yet?

In any case, there's still the witch to deal with, and, well…

"This'll be interesting," Riku deadpanned.

"You don't sound too pleased to see her, given what you've told me," Noir noticed the obvious.

He shook his head, frowning. "Definitely not. Besides, I doubt she'll let us past without trying to pick on me first."

"Well, then, if anything goes south, we'll just have to force her aside," she warned cautiously.

"My thoughts exactly," Riku agreed.

Since there is no knowing what will happen, Riku went on ahead first to scout it out while Noir hung back for a moment to assess how the situation will play out. As he moved closer, the dastardly witch apparently took notice of only him, and gave a prideful smirk to him like she was expecting him.

"I knew you would return, Riku," Maleficent said.

"Maleficent!" Riku growled bitterly, "Are you really alive?"

"You haven't been paying attention," the witch answered indignantly, "I am but a figment of your memory."

He frowned. "Of all the people I could run into, it had to be you."

"But of course. After all, your heart is steeped in darkness," the witch sound rather proud about it. "You can only see those who exist in darkness…"

"No…" he protested as best he could.

But Maleficent wasn't buying it. "Be grateful you have someone to keep you company. Your heart is empty. Were it not for the darkness it contains, you would be completely alone."

"That's sounding pretty good right about now," Riku retorted.

"Come, now. You once turned to me to sate your hunger for darkness," the witch rebuked him, "You want me here. Who but I can grant you the darkness you long for?"

Just listening to Maleficent talking about it made Riku feel sick to his stomach, let alone make him wish he was sick. After all, he foolishly trusted the witch's words above that of his friend Sora and his beloved Luna, and look where that landed him.

"There was a time I did want you around," he reluctantly confessed, "I surrendered my heart to the dark." He then steeled himself against her. "But never again. You and your darkness have nothing to offer. All I did was lose myself… Empty myself! I'm finished with all that. If I'm stuck seeing people like you, people of the dark…I'll take you out one by one!"

Maleficent sneered at Riku as she gave herself space between them. "Then you mustn't forget to destroy yourself last. For, like me, you are one of the dark."

From afar, Noir could see Riku's confidence bolstering a little more as he continued to stand his ground and confront the witch head-on. It was only a matter of time before she had to step in and intervene…

"That's fine by me. I turned to darkness because my heart was weak," Riku said back at the witch, "I hate that weakness. It's like I'm my own enemy. And seeing people like you embrace the darkness just makes it worse!"

The witch glared at him. "So you hate the darkness enough to fight it. Oh, the agony you must feel! Then let me end your pain, Riku – end it forever…with the wondrous powers of darkness!"

That was when Noir chose to step in. "You won't get your chance to destroy him, witch. I will make certain of that once we leave this wretched hive."

Maleficent, caught off-guard that someone else is here, took a sideways glance as Noir marched over to the center of the chamber and stood near Riku's side, ready to defend him should she be forced to. True to what they thought, she didn't expect to find a completely different face to be nearby since Riku was the only person known in the run-down castle.

"Who are you? You shouldn't be here!" the witch snapped. But she changed her mind, knowing she won't get answers. "Very well, then you can join him in the abyss!"

Using the dark power overflowing from her, Maleficent changed her physical form under the cover of green flames into a gigantic, malicious dragon bearing the sinister colors she always presented herself in with pride. Now this is what Riku and Noir were both expecting her to do; they'll have to destroy her if they want to get out of this place and press on. He summoned his Soul Eater blade as Noir summoned her Dark Hands.

"Never thought I'd get to talk smack at her for once," Riku admitted.

"If we're getting out of here, we'd best make this quick," Noir warned him. "I doubt she'd let us through that easily."

It was one thing to know how a witch worked with her magic, but it's a whole other ball game when dealing with a dragon. Besides her physically imposing size almost intimidating them, this draconic beast didn't make it easy for them with her tough skin and the power packed inside this monstrosity.

In Riku's defense, though, he had never fought the witch like this before. He certainly made a lot of effort in attempting to take the beast down, but his blade could barely make any dents against the tough hide she has surrounding her body. Worse still, no matter how many times he tried to land a good shot against her head, she made efficient retaliations with swings of her long tail, forcing him to jump back just to avoid getting hit.

At least Noir had some uses thanks to her versatile Dark Hands working to help Riku and keep the dragon from overwhelming them. Her conjured limbs made sure that Riku was safe from the shockwaves the dragon unleashed when the feet struck the floor below, and she kept herself safe from the oncoming attacks should she become the next target.

However, at one point, the dragon grew tired of playing the game of cat and mouse, and opted to simply incinerate them the best way how. With a sharp inhale, the dragon shot out a stream of sickly green flame at the first target she could see: Riku!

Realizing the imminent danger, Noir abruptly panicked. "No!" She extended her arm out. "Protect Riku, Tenebrae!"

Too late upon realizing the dragon's next move, Riku almost thought he was toast when – to his surprise – a black feathered cloak surrounded him and protected him from the full force of the fiery blast, leaving only a small safe circle in the middle of a sea of flames. He opened his eyes to see a feminine figure with a black feathered mask hovering over him defensively, her stringy grey hair hanging past her neck. He couldn't see more of the strange protector's form because it was rather dark under the cloak's barriers.

"What the…?" he barely spilled out, dumbfounded.

The masked lady looked down at Riku and simply stated informatively, _"Even the mightiest beast has a weakness. Pierce under the shield of the skin, and the monster will perish at your hand."_

Snapping himself out of his shock, Riku took note of the guardian's words and – when it was safe to come out – made one more charge at the dragon; but this time, he knows what he should do. He waited for the dragon to attempt to charge up her fiery breath once more, and he finally got to see where the weakest spot is: the belly. With a powerful thrust of the blade, he successfully pierced it into the core of the monster, causing it to writhe in pain until the beast perished into the darkness from whence the witch originally came.

Once things have calmed down, Noir breathed a sigh of relief as she embraced Riku, simply happy to know that he survived the first ordeal.

"Riku, you made it," she said in relief of having survived.

He shared the same sentiments, but he was certainly surprised at what more he had to see of his new companion a lot more.

"You're just surprising me more and more," he said, catching his breath. "What was that you just summoned? I was almost a toasted Riku if it…she…whatever hadn't saved me back there."

Noir quickly caught on what he meant. "Oh…that? To simplify, my Shadow Guardian, Tenebrae, protected you at my command. I just couldn't let that witch kill you with fire! I panicked and summoned my guardian to save you from being burned to ash."

Yeah, this was a lot for Riku to wrap around his head, but since Noir did help him out in a lot of ways so far, he was willing to just take what she had to say at face value for the time being. One way or another, he'll learn more about her as soon as they leave this creepy castle.

"I guess I learn new things every day," he jested, trying to lighten the mood. "I'd hate to think of what else I'll be learning from you."

"You'll just have to find out once we leave, won't you?" Noir replied.

If there's one good thing Riku got out of this, at least he has enough confidence to make his first step to recover himself and fight to return to what he stupidly turned away from. With Noir willing to join him and help him out, he felt pretty sure that someone's going to have a hard time trying to pull him back into the darkness he is now fighting against. The only thing he has to question is what will be waiting for them once they leave this illusion behind.


	5. Chapter 4: Ansem, Mickey & Organization

**Hello, readers! Sorry I took so long to post another chapter. I got sick, and couldn't concentrate because of it.**

 **But I finally got this chappie finished. Phew!**

 **So, anyways, now that I got Riku's business started, I can shift back to Sora's side and decide where to go from there. I'll let you know that I have plans of my own for this.**

 **Also, if there's any questions, comments or what have you, please let me know what you think about this story so far. I'd be happy to hear your thoughts, so long as you don't be rude about it.**

 **That being said, enjoy!**

 **To blueorchid7: It's gonna be a long while before he realizes that Noir is Luna's mom. I wanna maintain suspense until I drop the bomb.**

 **To Guest 1: No, I dare not tread into that territory with Ansem. And besides, we know what's the twist regarding the 'Ansem' that Riku's been seeing...**

 **To Guest 2: Oh, he will. He will.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are not acceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Ansem, Mickey, and Organization

Leaving the illusory Hollow Bastion brought Riku and Noir back into the blindingly white hallway, where all seemed quiet at first. But neither can be too sure, considering how a certain voice took pleasure in taunting at every chance and they haven't seen who the source is yet. But not long after emerging through the doors, the voice returned again, obviously disappointed at the results.

 _"_ _Why do you shun the darkness?"_

Noir's eyes narrowed warily. "It's that voice again…"

Riku knew who she was talking about, and he was getting annoyed as well. "Come on. I know you heard me – every word I said to Maleficent."

 _"_ _Darkness is your weapon. It is time you learned you must accept it."_

"What do you mean?" Riku demanded.

The voice wouldn't let up. _"Stop resisting. Accept the darkness. You have no choice…"_

In a swirl of flickering darkness, the two of them finally saw the face behind the voice that lurked from the shadows – a man who brought really bad memories to Riku and suddenly put him on edge, and even made Noir wary of the malice that festers within him.

"…If you are to serve me again."

Riku, knowing who this is, scoffed bitterly. "I thought it was you…Ansem."

Standing taller than even Noir herself, the man called Ansem imposed his presence with dark tanned skin and gold-amber eyes; silvery hair flowed almost down his back with some strands flared out on top and on both sides. He wore a grey long-coat over a white vest held by two belts, black pants and boots almost hard to spot unless one spots the faint trimmings close enough, and white gloves concealing almost half of his arms. Right on top of his chest is the recognizable symbol of the Heartless, the sign of who he was master of when he was first met by anyone who saw him.

At least Riku and Noir now knew who the voice of the tormentor was from the start, though on Riku's account, it made him feel like crap to see someone he didn't want to.

Obviously, Ansem noticed this. "Oh. You don't seem surprised."

"All you have been talking about is the darkness," Riku replied, "I can only assume you wanna pull me in…so you can play puppet master."

"Clever boy. I knew you'd be the one to most appropriately serve me," the Seeker said, "And now, surrender to me again –"

"You're crazy!" Riku interrupted angrily, summoning his blade. "Not a chance!"

Impulsively, Riku charged towards Ansem, meaning to strike him. But the Seeker of Darkness was prepared for him, as he raised a hand out towards him; as soon as Riku's blade came close to making contact, an invisible barrier blocked his path, and forcefully blasted the boy away from him. As a result, Riku plummeted to the floor, with Ansem still standing without a single scratch on him.

Horrified by this, Noir immediately hurried to the boy's aid, making sure that no harm came to him after that mortifying failure.

"Riku! Riku, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded slightly, slowly getting up. "I'll be fine…"

Ansem smirked at the boy on the floor. "Did you think you could do me harm? A weakling like you couldn't even defeat Sora or Luna – and you had darkness on your side."

"Excuse me…for being weak…" Riku retorted sarcastically, still recovering.

Ansem started to approach, meaning to do his work. "You are weak. You need darkness. Surrender. Bow to darkness. Bow to me."

Noir held Riku closer to her protectively as he answered, "That's not gonna happen!"

"Only the darkness can offer you all the strength that you need," Ansem wouldn't let up.

 _"_ _You're wrong!"_

As soon as the high-pitch voice was heard, Riku and Noir watched as a small, bright ball of light appeared into the room and floated down and around to their level. That could only mean the new voice belonged to…

"Is that…" Riku realized who it is. "Your Majesty?"

Noir recognized it, too. _"King Mickey?"_

 _"_ _That's right! Remember, Riku, you're not alone,"_ King Mickey replied, _"Listen close. The light'll never give up on you. You'll always find it, even in the deepest darkness!"_

That gave Riku some comfort. "I got it." He stood up as Noir followed suit. "I won't lose to darkness. Not today."

Ansem was not impressed about it. "You think that feeble light can save you from the darkness that I command?"

At this point, Noir has had enough of this nonsense, so she opted to make her stand and let this intruder know that he's not going to get his way – not while she's around, at the very least. With nobody looking, she summoned a Dark Hand and had it launch against Ansem from one side; unlike what happened with Riku, though, the Seeker of Darkness was startled to find something else aiming for him – but he managed to react fast enough to block the Hand from reaching him and striking at him with only his own hand.

"That's enough out of you!" she ordered aloud, letting him know she's here. "Feeble or not, we all have a light somewhere inside us. And I'm certain there are others who are no different, unlike you!"

As Noir moved in front of Riku as though she meant to defend him, Ansem's attention shifted from the Dark Hand to the woman who summoned it. At first, the instant he saw her, the furrowed frown on his face alerted to the knowledge that he didn't know that his target wasn't traveling alone upon arrival at the new location. If anything, he wasn't sure whether to be angry or impressed at the unforeseen developments.

"Who are -?" Ansem had half a mind to demand answers. But then, a vague familiarity crossed his face. "Wait… Noir, is it? I'm surprised you're wandering in this castle, but to be following this boy and trying to protect him?"

But she stood strong against him. "Better to try and protect him than to do nothing. I may not fully understand what your problem is, Ansem," She spat at his name, "but I warn you that if you keep bullying Riku like you are now, I promise you as a Shadow Mage that I will show you how dangerous I can be!"

Personally, Riku had to admit that he was surprised at how bold she is behaving, considering that she's never met Ansem before. Whatever she's been through must've helped her maintain enough willpower to stand against someone who threatens or harasses the weaker people, as far as he's certain. Maybe he could learn something from her while they're going through the castle together…

Ansem, however, glowered at her. "So, you think you can keep him away from me. It seems Riku kept you in the dark about…particular details on the things he did to gain the powers of darkness. Why don't you go about your business and leave, since you don't understand too well?"

"Not going to happen!" she snapped at him, ready to kill if she had to.

But then, when it seemed like the two would start clashing, Riku suddenly put himself in front of Noir, getting her attention. He kept his blade out front as a warning that whatever game Ansem's trying to play, he's not letting him try and drag her too deep into their messy conflict.

"Don't even think about it, Ansem!" he demanded, "If anyone's gonna put you down, I'll be the one to do it."

That got his attention. "It seems to me that you're intent on resisting the darkness. All right. Then see it for yourself." He pulled out another card. "This is a card crafted from your memory. Advance through the world it creates and soon, you will understand… Chasing after light is not the way. It will not give you distance from the darkness. There is no running from the darkness."

"Don't worry, I'm not running," Riku retorted as he held his hand out in demand. "Give it. I'll enter the world and in the end, if I haven't given in to the darkness… Then I win."

Without hesitation – and eager to accept such a brazen challenge, Ansem threw the card over to them, which Riku caught efficiently. But that didn't necessarily mean he was just going to walk away now…

"I have one more gift for you," Ansem said, like he had one more surprise on hand.

At first, neither of them understood what he meant. But then, with a little flick of his wrist on his right hand, he made a gesture like he's reeling something to him. And then, without warning, a small flash of dark energy emerged from Riku's body, making him keel over with a little pain from that familiar feeling he experienced in the past. This in turn made Noir fear for whatever might be hurting him in the first place; on instinct, she hurried to aid him should he still not be well after that shocking moment.

Angrily, she turned to him and asked, "What is the meaning of this?!"

Riku thought the same thing. "What did you do!?"

"I simply tempered the darkness that remains in your heart," Ansem replied matter-of-factly.

"How dare you…" Noir growled bitterly.

"You still think I reply on the darkness?" Riku snapped.

Ansem shrugged like he didn't care. "To use it or not is your choice. I'll be waiting, Riku…for you to sense it and yield to the darkness in your heart!"

Neither could really say anything more in opposition as Ansem took his leave in a swirl of darkness that he had arrived from when he first showed his face to them. But now, that just left the two of them with more questions than answers as to how they're going to clean up this mess they got dumped on them; for that matter, how is Riku going to get through this castle with that persistent darkness Ansem seems oh-so insistent of having the poor boy succumb back into, even after he had said several times that he wants to be done with it?

Well, it seemed they had no choice but to cope with the bitter changes until they can find a way out of it.

Riku recognized this too well and sighed, "I can't believe this had to happen. It's bad enough he wants to mess with me, but it doesn't feel right to drag you into it now."

Noir shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "Well, I already did the moment you wanted to know who I am and what I'm doing in a strange castle. I wouldn't think it wise to shoulder all the blame for me, Riku."

"You're probably right, Noir," he agreed reluctantly, "We both got into this, so we'd better find a way out together."

"Which reminds me, how do you know King Mickey?" she had to ask out of curiosity.

Riku shrugged a bit. "We met in the realm of darkness. He was the only help I had, after what Ansem had tried to do with me. But then…I lost track of him."

That made her more curious. "What on earth was Mickey doing there? I never knew of his whereabouts after I left on my own nine years ago…"

"Either way, it won't be the last time Ansem will come and harass us," Riku changed the subject. "We'd better hurry along if we're going to find out what's up with this place."

"You're right. Proceed on first, questions later," she agreed with him on that.

* * *

In a dark room, somewhere inside Castle Oblivion, a young man in a black coat stood alone, lost in focused thought with only silence as his company. Just now, he couldn't help noticing that unusual anomalies have been sensed inside the castle, something that he didn't expect; after all, there is much going on topside, while he is down here with the rest, and he had no idea what to make of what he had found with his senses. Who is there, and for what reason are they there in the first place?

But he lost his train of thought when another man in black appeared; but he was much taller and bulkier than him, silent as the room itself. Displeased at the lack of formalities, he couldn't help shaking his head in annoyance.

"Don't I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?" he asked in a deadpan tone.

Then, not long after, another man in black made his appearance from the shadows; but this time, he was a spindly man with long, platinum blond hair reaching past his shoulders. He seemed to be very displeased about something that doesn't concern the others.

"What is going on here, Zexion?" the blond man demanded, "I want an explanation."

"Nice to see you, too, Vexen," Zexion said sarcastically, shaking his head in dismay. "It's such a shame. The Organization used to be the rope that bound us together."

That angered Vexen. "You're only number 6! How dare you –"

"Let it go, Vexen," Lexaeus interrupted bluntly. As soon as Vexen was silenced, he turned to his smaller comrade. "Zexion, tell us. What did you detect?"

Now able to concentrate, Zexion narrowed his eyes as he regained his awareness of the peculiar auras he detected before he was interrupted. He could make out more than one, two of which seemed to be vaguely familiar. But there was…another aura? Maybe he'll figure it out once he gets a better reading.

"Visitors," he replied finally, "I picked up two scents in the castle's lowest basement. One of them was Maleficent –"

"Don't be absurd. The witch is gone," Vexen interrupted. "She cannot return from the realm of darkness of her own volition"

Zexion was a bit annoyed. "If I may finish… The scent belonged not to the real Maleficent, but a very convincing double. But I truly cannot say beyond that since the double is no more. Our other visitor saw to that."

"And who is it?" Lexaeus asked.

"I do not know for sure…" Zexion confessed, "But the scent was very similar to that of the Superior."

"And yet, not exactly the same, was it?" Vexen pieced it together quickly. "This truly piques my curiosity."

"What do we do?" Zexion asked, looking to his taller comrade.

Lexaeus, after a moment of thought, replied: "We wait and see what develops."

Now that they know they have a little more time to survey what might be going on in the basement, Zexion figured he might as well use this time to further understand what he had been detecting below. Perhaps he would be able to more accurately pinpoint the sources behind the scents he picked up not long ago. Perhaps he might be able to acquire more information on the new visitors lurking about. Which does bring up one other thing on his mind: what was last scent he found? There was something that felt…eerily familiar to him, and yet there was something different about it at the same time.

Who is it, really?

He'll need a little more time to uncover what it is that piques his own curiosity. After all, maybe it might be helpful in the long run…

* * *

Upon proceeding further up the stairs of the basement, Riku couldn't help but notice something a little out of place around him. He's sure that it wasn't Noir's doing, since he already determined that she's nothing dangerous to him. But he couldn't put his finger on what's bothering him, much less what he's noticing.

"Something smells…funny…" he suddenly blurted as he searched around him. "What's that scent? It's so familiar…"

Noir, noticing his confusion, grew uneasy. "What is it, Riku? Is there something wrong?"

But he figured it out already. "Darkness. It's the smell of darkness." He shook his head. "I can't believe this is happening. The darkness even seeped into my skin…"

 _"_ _Don't worry, Riku."_

Right in the nick of time, the same perky voice and the ball of beautiful light gleamed down from the ceiling to greet the two of them personally.

"Is that…?" Noir wondered aloud.

"Your Majesty!" Riku felt relieved to hear that voice.

Then, with a brief flash of brilliance, the light cleared away to show the form of a small, cutesy mouse with big black ears and colored clothes to go along his silly shoes and white gloves. It was unquestionably King Mickey, the mouse who had stayed behind in the realm of darkness with Riku when they closed the door with a little extra help from Sora and Luna. Though, there was something a little…odd about how he appeared.

In fact, Riku realized right away how transparent he is. "What happened? I can see…right through you."

"Funny, huh? I can only send a bit of my power to this place," Mickey chuckled, not worried about how he looked. "That's why I've got a request for ya."

Now he was curious. "Request?"

"Listen, Riku. Just because darkness holds you, don't let go of who you are," the king assured him, "You've got to fight the darkness inside you! It won't be easy to do, I know. But please don't forget. Even in the darkest darkness, there's always a little bit of light."

"Light within darkness…" Riku figured out what he means.

Mickey nodded. "You and I have seen it - the far welcoming light inside the door to darkness. The light of Kingdom Hearts – it will show you the way. Please don't give up. Believe in the light. That's a request from my heart."

It gave him comfort from being encouraged like that. "Okay…I'll do my best, more so since I also have Noir's help."

Said woman turned to Riku, curious on his confidence. "You really think so?"

That got the king's attention. "Noir?" He looked to Riku's side and jumped in surprise. "Oh! Noir! I haven't seen you in years. How did you get here?"

"I could say the same, Majesty," Noir replied with a respectful bow. "I heard from Riku that you were in the realm of darkness. But I also heard that you helped him." She paused, shaking her head. "There is too much I would love to discuss with you about, but I suppose given the current circumstances, we'll have to put that on hold until we meet for real. I can tell you, though, that I was investigating this castle when I met Riku. He asked me to come with him and find his friends, so I am staying with him until then."

"Is that so? Well, I hope you find what you're looking for," Mickey said knowingly, "I'm sure I'll have to explain myself when we do meet up."

"Yes, well, until we do, I'll do what I can to look after Riku while we're here," Noir promised, "I agreed to come along, and that's what I intend to do until I've found what I'm looking for."

Riku couldn't help but notice the dedication in her tone of voice, which raised a few flags in his head – not the bad kind, though. It seemed to him that Noir has ulterior motives as to her affairs inside the castle, considering how she claimed to be only investigating the place; yet in a peculiar irony, she also questions him on whatever he knows so that she can learn about what she never knew about before they met. And did he really need to remind himself on her curiosity as to the mention of Luna's name? It made him wonder what she's hiding from him that he wasn't aware of from the start.

But for now, he'll keep this under wraps until he finds any more clues while he lets her tag along with him. He'll figure it out in due time…

"And besides, who knows what kind of trouble this boy would get into if left on his own?" she suddenly jested.

He certainly didn't see that joke coming. "Thanks for the confidence, ma'am."

"I jest, Riku. I'm sure you're strong," Noir reassured him, "Don't take everything I say too seriously."

That calmed him down a little; apparently, he didn't expect her to have a sense of humor along with curiosity.

He shook his head with a smile. "We'll be fine, your Majesty. The two of us get through this together."

"That's the spirit!" Mickey cheered on. "Trust me. I'll try to find a way to reach you and Noir. I'll get there, I promise."

With that promise in mind, the mouse king extended a hand out like he meant to accept a handshake, which Riku attempted to reciprocate…only to notice his hand go through the king's, reminding him that it is an illusory version of the king in front of him. He almost forgot about that.

"You're an illusion…" he remembered.

"Don't worry. We shook hands in our hearts, remember?" the king reassured him, "We're connected, you and me."

Riku smiled. "Guess we are."

"We all are, one way or another," Noir added, turning to Mickey. "You be careful on your end, Majesty – until we meet in person."

Mickey gave an agreeing nod to her before the magic that formed his image faded away into the little light they had seen previously. That gave them a sure sign his magic was used up, and that he's now on his own. But considering how much he had done so far just to assure someone dear that he'll be alright and is boosting morale on those wandering elsewhere, it's a comfort to know there's someone who supports you regardless of your current problems.

When he was gone, Noir turned to Riku, hoping to know what he intends to do next and where he intends to mark his course.

"What will you do now, Riku?" she asked him, "Are you willing to challenge the darkness?"

"That's my plan right now. What it'll yield, I don't know," Riku replied, his confidence now higher with Mickey's words moving him on. "But one way or another, I'm not letting Ansem get his way again. I have a promise to keep, and I want to fulfill it."

She certainly admired his confidence, vaguely reminding her of a similar bygone day. It made her wish there were others like him, who would do whatever it takes to amend the wrongs they had done against others before. Perhaps she can regain her courage by helping the boy through his journey to atone for misdeeds he carried out, and in turn help in whatever dangers might be lurking around the corner further down the line…

"Well, then, since you've made your decision to keep going," she decreed, "I'll be sure to help you every step of the way. For better or worse, we both got into this mess, so we'll have to stick together until we can find our answers waiting ahead of us."

Tenebrae emerged from Noir's shadow, nodding in approval. _'Dark shadows follow within these walls. But the radiant light waits patiently. Let not the shadow of your villain hinder you from that which you seek to restore within yourself, little child. My lady promises the truth that your light is not destroyed.'_

This was a lot for Riku to take in. Not only does he have the confidence of King Mickey to keep him motivated to fight against the darkness he had delved into, but he also has the unwavering support of Noir and her Guardian despite the honest truth that they are still new people for him to hang around – that, and he has yet to know more about them. But he didn't mind it in the slightest; at least he feels ready to make his journey to face the darkness and fight against it so he can return to the light – and to his friends.


	6. Chapter 5: Agrabah - Sora

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here, and I finally got another chapter out!**

 **Now, I've probably mentioned this to you guys already, but I'm just gonna say it again: when it comes to the worlds on Sora's side, I'm not gonna go deep into depth with all of them. It's mostly to not waster time, and I wanted to try and do something different on Riku's side just to make things more interesting. I hope you guys can understand that.**

 **That being said, I will inform you that later on down the line, I will bring up a proposition for you guys. And this is going to concern the eventual involvement of 358/2 Days storyline. Once I get another chapter posted, I'll give the full details as to what the heck this will be about.**

 **Anyways, without further ado, hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Btw, I inserted a little extra at the climax of the Agrabah world I'm sure you'll all recognize, in case you don't know.**

 **And on that note, enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 5 – Floor 2; Agrabah, Sora

By the time Luna and Medea had finally caught up with the boys, Sora and Donald immediately bombarded them with questions on what held them up and whether Axel had something to do with it. Luna tried her best to explain herself, but Medea finally shut them up when she simply told them the redhead was only trolling the two and they opted to move on before he could pull any more tricks on them. After that, it seemed that they were pacified and changed the subject to the issue of Castle Oblivion – or rather, what the next world will be and what they'll be dealing with afterwards.

"All I'm hoping is that Axel doesn't pester us again," Donald grumbled, "But if he does, I'll just blast him with my magic!"

Medea raised a brow at the duck. "Damn, Donald. When the hell did you become sadistic?"

"So, what memory world are we entering this time?" Luna asked Sora, noticing him analyzing the cards in his hands.

"Well…I'm thinking we should use the first card on the deck, and then we go in that order," Sora replied, trying to make the process easier. "At least, so that we don't have to argue over what to pick as we keep moving up."

"Sounds like a smart idea," Goofy agreed.

"That would make the process of elimination easier in the long run," Luna seconded that. "But then that means we might need to be careful, especially after what we've encountered so far."

As the party moved up the stairs to the second floor of Castle Oblivion, Jiminy couldn't help pondering over everything that has happened so far in the castle, which the others took notice of not long after.

"What's wrong, Jiminy?" Sora finally asked the cricket.

"Well, ya see, what Axel said back there worries me," Jiminy replied as he hopped on Sora's shoulder. "What could he have meant by, 'You may no longer be who you are'?"

Luna, hearing it, shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't know, would I?"

"No, I don't suppose so," the cricket agreed with her.

"I may no longer be me?" Sora repeated the question, "How can I be anyone else?"

Jiminy chuckled at the optimism. "Of course. Still, you can't be too careful."

"Yep. Feels like just about anything could happen here in Castle…" Goofy suddenly fumbled on his words. "Oblivi – Oblivi…Obliv…"

"Castle Oblivion!" Donald reminded him.

"Oh, yeah! Now I remember," the dog chuckled at how silly it was.

"Seriously? Is it that hard to keep tabs on the name of this trippy castle?" Medea asked, unamused. "Especially since we heard it several times since our first encounter with that hooded creeper?"

"We'll be okay," Sora promised confidently, "Whatever it is they're cooking up, we'll be able to handle it together."

"'Course we will, like at that creepy castle we explored together," Goofy added, "the one with all the weird contraptions."

But when Goofy made mention of another castle, something went amiss. The instant Sora heard this; a puzzled frown crossed his face as he tried to think about what their friend said. Luna and Medea noticed this, however, and couldn't help dreading that something's already going horribly wrong.

"When was that?" Sora asked, confused.

Donald folded his arm, trying to sort through his mind. "I can't remember. What was it called?"

That rang a few alarm bells inside the heads of the girls. Are they already starting to lose their memories? Is that why the boys are having a hard time remembering things right now? Neither of them liked where this was going, but they'd better try and help somehow…

"Gawrsh, it was called, uh…" Goofy faltered as he tried to remember what he was talking about. "Holla…Holly…Holler… Sorry. I can't remember."

Donald was shocked. "Wak! Stop goofing around!"

"Goofy, are you sure you didn't make it up?" Sora asked, doubt in his tone of voice.

"I don't think so," Goofy insisted.

"I'm sure he didn't. I think it's Hollow Bastion he's talking about," Luna told them.

Sora and Donald turned to Luna, baffled at how she brought up the name neither of them could remember too clearly.

"Are you sure about that, Luna?" Donald asked her suspiciously.

"Why would Luna lie about that?" Medea retorted, "If she says it's Hollow Bastion, it's Hollow Bastion. Maybe you boys are losing your heads faster than we are."

But Sora was not in the mood for arguing. "C'mon, guys let's not get into an argument about it right now. Let's just focus on the next world, and then we'll worry about names later…assuming we don't forget that either."

It wasn't the most reassuring thing to hear coming from Sora, but what else could they do at this point? Nobody wanted to waste any more time arguing over nitty gritty details when they've got a castle to investigate and mysterious secrets to uncover in this eerily bright place they've been lured into. Besides, it's not like they can go back out the way they came; most likely something will prevent them from doing so if they tried to.

So, the only option they have left is to just use the next card and get a move on before someone somewhere makes the decision for them…

* * *

When Sora used the next card in the deck, the party found themselves in a city sheltered in the middle of a vast desert looming outside of the gates. Oddly, despite it being an outstretched marketplace filled with shaded stalls and abodes for the residents of the place, it seemed to be abandoned for unknown reasons. Is there trouble brewing about in this man-made world? It certainly seemed so when Goofy immediately noticed danger ahead of them the moment they stepped inside the city.

"Look, you guys!" Goofy alerted them, pointing his finger ahead, "Someone's in trouble!"

True to his alarm, ahead of them is a man - apparently native to the desert city – surrounded by many Heartless. That, to them, felt rather unfair; but since the Heartless are not the type of creatures to even know the concept of 'unfair', what else could be done about it?

"Is that…Aladdin?" Luna wondered.

"We'd better do something!" Donald quacked in a panic.

"Then hurry up, if we're gonna get anywhere!" Medea ordered impatiently as she readied her claws.

Sora took the initiative and charged right into the fray. "Mind if we help?"

Glad for the unexpected help, Aladdin replied, "Thanks! I thought I was done for!"

Immediately, they got to work on dealing with the denizens harassing the streets and made use of their location against the Heartless. The smaller ones were easier to pick off, but the bulkier ones were dealt with by the more physical combatants like Sora and Goofy; otherwise Donald's magic and Luna's Shadow Hands evened out the odds when the numbers began to grow. But even after they had dealt with the wave that came after them, it seemed like the Heartless won't let up until they're gone.

Donald certainly noticed this. "They just keep coming!"

Then, their new partner got an idea. "Guess we'd better see if the legends are true." Taking this window of opportunity, he pulled out a lamp from his pocket and rubbed it. "Magic lamp, my first wish! Get rid of these Heartless!"

All of a sudden, with puffs of clouds of blue colored smoke emerged a big, blue goofball of a peculiar-looking man with a perpetually comical look to his face. Given that the lamp is present, it's no surprise that the whacky character is a genie.

"Stand back, kids! Genie of the lamp coming through!" Genie said excitedly, "Ain't nothing I can't make right as rain – well, if we HAD rain in this desert."

Medea slapped her face with a disapproving groan. "That's just…bad, really bad."

"But enough dry jokes!" Genie continued, not paying attention, "One Heartless disappearing act, coming right up!"

With just a flick of his finger, all of the Heartless in the area instantly vanished into thin air one by one. Most of the spectators couldn't help but stand still in shock and awe at the marvel of what one powerful genie can do.

Though, there was one thing Donald got ruffled about. "Why didn't you call him in the first place?"

"It's not that simple. You see –" their friend was about to explain everything.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Genie interrupted, "But I will anyway! I'm strictly limited to three wishes per master. And ix-nay on the wishing for more wishes!"

Now that his job was done for the moment, the Genie vanished in a puff of smoke, returning to the lamp that is his rather cramped home.

"That certainly explains a lot," Luna finally said.

"So you've got two wishes left? Better use them carefully," Sora suggested.

"That's easier said than done," Medea commented, "Can you imagine how hard it'd be to make a smart wish?"

"I've got to get back to the palace somehow," Aladdin said, "But with all these Heartless…"

That's when Goofy got an idea. "Hey, Sora, Luna. We're heading that way, too, so why don't we go with Aladdin?"

"Sounds like a plan," Sora agreed.

"It would be much safer if we traveled through town together," Luna second that.

Aladdin certainly favored that idea. "That would be great. Thanks a lot!"

* * *

Apparently, it was a very good idea for them all to navigate the dusty streets of Agrabah together; in every corner of the town, there was Heartless waiting to ambush them whenever there's a given chance. Fortunately for them, Aladdin was a pretty capable fighter in his own right, and it helped when all of them pitched their skills together to tactically take down every one of those monsters that tried to tip the scales against them. That being said, they still had to stay on their toes because there were the occasional Heartless that would attempt to trick them under the guise of harmless objects, like barrels for instance.

When they finally got themselves a momentary breather, though, Goofy was the first one to have something on his mind about their compatriot.

"So, uh, why are you going to the palace, Aladdin?" he asked out of curiosity.

A slight frown crossed Aladdin's face. "That no-good royal vizier, Jafar. He tricked me into getting this magic lamp from the Cave of Wonders. The cave was crawling with Heartless. I'm lucky I made it to Agrabah in one piece!"

"Why am I not surprised?" Medea asked sarcastically.

"Wasn't anyone else there to help you out?" Sora asked him. "This Jafar guy's got some nerve giving such dangerous orders."

"Maybe he doesn't care who gets killed or hurt," Luna speculated, "so long as he can get whatever he wants."

"I know how you feel, Master," Genie suddenly piped up, sympathetic to the situation. "People have been ordering me around for 10,000 years. And what help do I get?" He sighed. "I keep wishin' someone will wish me outta this gig. But go figure the odds on that."

"That's gotta be rough," Donald admitted.

"That has to be," Luna agreed sadly.

That was when Aladdin got a bright idea. "Well, how 'bout I use my third wish to set you free?"

The instant Genie heard that offer, his jaw almost dropped to the ground at the offer of release from his antique prison so willingly. After all, when one's been trapped inside a lamp for so long with nobody even thinking about relieving the wish-granter of his thankless job, wouldn't anybody be rather skeptical about the latest owner fulfilling that promise? It almost sounded too good to be true. But still, the idea of freedom…

It's a very enticing little hope spot.

"Doth mine pointy ears deceive me?" he asked, flabbergasted, "Master, you'd do that for me? You're not just pulling my topknot now, aren't you?"

"I promise, Genie," Aladdin replied honestly. "Anyway, there's only one thing I really want."

"Then we'll just have to DO something about it, Al!" Genie exclaimed excitedly, "Can I call you Al? So, what'll it be? Fame? Fortune? A herd of luxury camels to call your own?"

With all that fast talking about wishes, it was rather difficult for the rest of the party to pick up whatever is going on. Really, having to call the shots of what you wish has to be no walk in the park to work with, considering that everyone's wishes can affect those around them – for better or for worse.

But Aladdin clearly knew what he had in mind. "Well, there's this girl. Her name is Jasmine. She's princess of Agrabah. And…that's the problem." He felt rather sheepish talking about it. "It's hard for a 'street rat' like me to get a chance to see her. That's how this all started. I thought if I went to the Cave of Wonders, I could get the treasure, and maybe then Jasmine would want to meet me."

"Sounds like your wish should be that you can see Jasmine anytime you want, huh?" Sora guessed.

Luna was just in awe at the budding love. "It is rather lovely that you'd try to find a way to be with her, even with the odds against you. It's actually quite beautiful…"

"Yeah, but didn't our desert boy mention something about an evil vizier?" Medea reminded them. "I'm pretty sure this creep ain't gonna make strolling right into the palace a cakewalk just for a princess."

Donald figured out what she meant. "Oh, yeah… How's Al gonna get in on that note?"

"Well, I've got just the package for you!" Genie said, focused on his master's ideas, "You'll not only meet the lady, you'll go in style…as PRINCE ALI! How d'ya like the sound of that, Al?"

That certainly sounded like a clever prospect on paper; if a persona was set up, then it would be a little harder for the main problem (i.e., the vizier that Aladdin mentioned a moment ago) to figure out what's going on – unless the lamp is hidden in a rather poor spot. But if it could give their street friend a small chance to be with the princess and eventually succeed in claiming her heart, then things might go well. And besides, there's no way of knowing this crazy plan will work unless they let the Genie use his magic and they give it a try.

Aladdin certainly took that thought pretty well. "Me, a prince! Can you really do that?"

"In an Agrabah minute!" Genie replied eagerly.

Medea raised a brow at that. "Wow. I wonder how long that actually takes in his head."

"Long enough for something amazing to happen, I guess," Sora speculated. "I'd like to see how it works out."

"I guess the legends are true after all. C'mon, let's get to the palace!" Aladdin said, starting to run off ahead of them.

"Well, we'd better hurry, then," Goofy said with a shrug.

"C'mon! Let's hurry up!" Donald cheered as he ran off, swaying everyone else to follow after them.

"Jeez, is everyone really in a rush these days?" Medea questioned as she trailed along.

* * *

But not long after passing through the streets, closing in on the palace still miles away, it didn't take long for them to find something even more troubling than they had thought. And it wasn't just the Heartless that they were worried about…

Donald, suddenly spotting something distressing, squawked, "Wak! Look at that!"

"What's going on?" Medea wanted to know.

Looking over the edge of the house, they saw a horde of Heartless surrounding a woman in green clothes unfitting for someone who lived on the streets. She didn't seem to be making efforts to flee, most likely either passed out from fright or something else.

"Who is that…?" Aladdin squinted his eyes at the figure until he realized who it is. "It's Jasmine!"

Luna gasped in horror. "Oh, no!"

"She needs our help!" Goofy exclaimed.

"No kidding, Sherlock!" Medea growled as she readied her claws.

"We'll never make it in time!" Sora worried as he examined the distance between them.

As much as he didn't want to use up another wish, Aladdin couldn't bear the idea of watching the princess be harassed by the Heartless for another minute. He had to do something, if only to buy time for her.

"Then I've no choice," he said, turning to his friend, "Genie, I wish for you to save Jasmine!"

"Can do!" Genie answered eagerly, "CHAAARGE!"

With just a snap of his fingers, the Heartless that surrounded the princess instantly vanished in a puff of smoke, one by one. With that group out of the way, this allowed them to jump down the edge and see to Jasmine's aid, if at least to make sure she's okay. After all, it could've been a lot worse had their wish-granting friend not intervened at the right moment when asked to.

Aladdin was the first to check on Jasmine, to see if anything's wrong. Luna and Goofy followed not long after to check things personally, with Sora and the others not too far behind, relieved that nothing serious happened so far.

"We're lucky! She's fainted, but it looks like she's okay," Goofy said, reassuring them.

"I suppose the Heartless scared her enough to render her this way," Luna added, "We'll have to get her to safety as soon as possible."

"But you've only got one wish left," Sora remembered what happened earlier.

"And with only one wish left under your belt, you're gonna have to be smart about –" Medea was about to explain.

But her speech was cut off when more Heartless suddenly appeared all around them, about to make their approach and pursue the newest intruders. Left with no other choice, everyone had to gather around the princess so that she could be kept out of harm's way, if at all.

"Not again!" Aladdin reluctantly feared what he'd have to do. "Sorry, Genie. You're the only one who can –"

"Wait! This is your last wish!" Sora stopped him. "Don't waste it. This time, let us handle the wish-granting!"

"That's what I was gonna tell him, goofball!" Medea retorted in frustration.

"Less talking, more Heartless smashing!" Donald ordered.

"Then let's make it quick so we can leave!" Luna agreed as she readied her Shadow Hands.

At this point, the party formed a circle and worked on picking off the Heartless within their direct line of fire, hoping to ensure that the princess they meant to protect wouldn't get caught within the blast radius. Of course, since that amount of space was rather small in contrast to the marketplace - and not helping that is that they are in an alleyway, so to speak – they were forced to watch their movements carefully so as to not cause any accidents.

When it seemed like the dust had cleared (no pun intended), Sora couldn't help feeling relief that one half the problem is finished. Luna, though, couldn't help but feel something is rather off about it…

"See? We didn't need Genie this time," Sora said confidently.

"Thanks, guys. But I'm still down to my last wish," Aladdin was grateful for the help, but the thought of one last wish worried him.

"We should first get Jasmine out of here, before –" Luna was about to say something.

But this time, her conversation got interrupted when a sudden flash occurred within the area, startling everyone and making them look around worriedly without a clue as to what happened just now.

Sora was stunned at this. "What –"

"Wak! What's happening?" Donald asked fearfully.

However, Aladdin quickly figured it out when he frantically searched around himself for the one thing he lacked: the lamp!

"Oh, no! The lamp is gone!" he panicked.

"And I think I know why," Medea growled angrily as she looked up toward another ledge. "Got a good answer for thievery, you crusty old rat?"

Everyone followed where her eyes were focused, and discovered that a new person has come to inspect the scene: the royal vizier, Jafar. It wasn't too hard to denounce him as the problem behind Agrabah's street infestation, since everything about him just screamed 'I'm a bad guy, and I mean a lot of trouble for you'. Apparently, he didn't seem too pleased at the fact that his peasant nemesis and some new faces are giving him a lot more trouble than he already had from who knows when.

"Hmm, it seems my plans have gone amiss. I was certain you'd waste your last wish," Jafar sneered in disappointment, "what with poor Jasmine in distress and these delightful creatures to deal with." He pulled out the lamp from inside his robe. "But no matter. At last the lamp and its genie are mine to command!"

"Why are you doing this, Jafar?" Aladdin demanded, "You've got the lamp! What more do you want?"

"Such an interesting question," Jafar replied, "You see, I knew you were going to use the lamp to try and win the princess's heart. But we can't have that, now, can we? Because I am the one Jasmine will marry!"

Sora didn't like that. "You?!"

"Certainly you realize that if I marry the Princess, then nothing can stop me from becoming Sultan!" Jafar said smugly. "You're nothing more than a pawn in my game, street rat!"

"Jasmine wouldn't want to marry a disgusting monster like you!" Luna called him out harshly. "Especially if power is all he wants to acquire from her!"

That hit a nerve on the vizier a bit. "We'll see about that! Genie! My first wish! Deliver Jasmine to me!"

Sure enough, when they turned around, everyone was shocked that Jasmine is no longer nearby them. Instead, she was being carried by a an unnaturally unhappy Genie, who fully realized that he has a new master that he must fulfill the wishes of, as much as he really didn't want to know since he knows how ill-meaning the vizier is.

Horrified, Aladdin called out, "Genie, what are you doing?!"

"Sorry, Al. My hands are tied up," Genie replied, head drooping sadly. "I gotta obey whoever has his mitts on the lamp."

"Precisely. Farewell, Aladdin…you fool!" Jafar said, proud of the dirty work he had done.

Having believed his business is finished and one step closer to fulfilling his ambitions, Jafar left the scene with a depressed Genie and an unconscious Jasmine in tow, leaving everybody else behind to stress over what terrible things have happened and what more they could do now. What happened was undoubtedly a dirty trick, but now what should they do to clean up this mess the vizier had left behind for them?

Aladdin sure was at a loss about it. "Great. Now I've lost Jasmine AND the lamp."

"You can feel bad about it some other time! If you don't pull yourself together, you'll never see Jasmine again!" Sora commanded.

"What that horrible man did to hurt you was cruel beyond words," Luna agreed, trying to support him, "Why should such a lovely lady be forced to marry someone who sees her as nothing more than a stepping stone? Jasmine deserves so much better."

"Luna's right, y'know," Medea agreed to her master's opinion, "I mean, so what if you lost the lamp? You still got a chance to save her with your own strength."

"Yeah! Losing someone you care about is bad," Sora added in, "but not as bad as never getting them back!"

As Aladdin took in those encouraging words coming from Sora, Luna and Medea altogether, something stirred stronger than ever in him when he came to realize the hidden strength he had within him. After all, had he not said what troubles he went through just so he could have the one chance to be with someone he cares about? He actually worked pretty hard to come this far, a little Genie assistance aside and the timely arrival of the new company that swung into town to help him out. He wasn't going to just roll over for a slimy jerk like that so-called royal vizier Jafar, now, wasn't he?

He gave a renewed confident smile as he thanked them. "Thanks, you guys. You're right. I can't give up now! I've gotta save Jasmine!"

"But Jafar's got the lamp," Donald reminded them. "We can't just walk up to him and expect him to win…"

Their street pal, though, had other thoughts. "Maybe we can. I have an idea. Listen up!"

Intrigued, Sora, Luna and Medea inched closer to their friend to hear what his little 'idea' might be, with Donald and Goofy huddling closer to their buddies so they can get a better read as to what's cooking up…

* * *

"Hey, old man! Guess who's here to protest on forced matrimony?"

Medea's crude greeting caught Jafar's attention as he turned to find Sora, Luna and their three friends rushing toward the door to the palace. But then, he noticed something a little out of place: Aladdin is nowhere within their vicinity. But what did that matter to him? Thinking that handling the extra problems will be an easy job, he didn't even bother to take notice of the street boy actually lying in wait for the right moment to spring the trap.

"What's this? Has Aladdin given up on his precious Jasmine already?" Jafar asked smugly, thinking he won. "Well, I'm not going to waste a wish on the likes of you five. I'll deal with you myself!"

Unknown to the vizier, though, Sora gave a little smirk as he seized the chance to call out their little help.

"Aladdin, now!"

Then, at the right moment, Aladdin sprang out from his hiding place like a trickster monkey, catching Jafar by surprise.

"What? You!" the vizier cried out in shock, "Genie! Seize him!"

Just as Aladdin was about to charge toward Jafar, Genie suddenly appeared in front of him, about ready to strike him down – as much as he didn't want to.

"Al, forgive me," Genie apologized remorsefully.

As he smacked Aladdin away from Jafar, Luna actually noticed that he couldn't help covering his face as though he didn't want to see what he had done. However, after Aladdin had landed near the market stall, he suddenly gave off a knowing smile as he knew that the arrogant advisor had completely messed himself up.

"You fell into our trap, Jafar," he pointed out to him.

Jafar suddenly was dumbfounded. "What do you mean?!"

"He means you just blew your second wish!" Sora said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Only one wish left!"

"Ha! It just goes to show how much of an idiot you can be with the lamp in your hand," Medea mocked with a smirk.

"What are you going to do now, Jafar? Are you going to use your last wish on Jasmine?" Luna taunted, "We're still going to give you problems, and that'd be a waste, wouldn't it?"

In contrast to the now indecisive Jafar, who is still reeling from the realization that he had been tricked into squandering what he had meant to use for his own gains, genie quickly figured out what the gang was doing all along and he couldn't help but be wide-eyed in amazement at the cunning used against the once manipulative jerk who screwed things over not too long ago.

"Oh, NOW I get it," Genie exclaimed jovially, "Al, you're so clever!"

Finally, the vizier recovered and growled angrily. "Well, well. The cunning of a rat. But unfortunately, you can't see beyond the bait. Your little ploy changes nothing! I can crush you once and for all AND make Jasmine my own! Genie! My last wish! Transform me into an all-powerful genie!"

Realizing what this meant, but unable to do anything to dissuade the madman from ever using such a thing without knowing of the consequences, Genie reluctantly used his magic one last time on Jafar. Then, before anybody knew it, an explosion of dark maroon clouds surrounded Jafar as everyone's sight is obstructed by the heavy smoke forming all around them.

When the smoke finally subsided, the gang found themselves not at the palace gates with Genie and Jasmine, but inside a deep platform surrounded by lava. Jafar had become what he had wished for, and now he is ready for a gnarly revenge grind against the troublemakers that duped him into using up all of his wishes. But there is just one little thing that is missing to complete his whole genie ensemble: the lamp.

Right on cue, that's answered with a red bird carrying a black lamp in its talons, which looks suspiciously like another bird they had seen before…

"Well, now, who's up for round two of bird hunting?" Medea joked eagerly.

"Just focus on getting the lamp!" Donald quacked impatiently.

"And watch our steps while we're at it," Goofy warned about the lava around them.

But that proved to be much easier said than done. Not only was their primary target continually moving around to try and avoid getting hit by anything they've got on them, but Jafar wasn't too shy about giving them some trouble with his magic and throwing big blocks of lava at their faces. It really didn't help in the slightest with the platforms continually shifting their levels at the worst opportunity, sometimes messing up any attempts at successfully landing a hit on the pesky birdbrain hovering around the area.

"Why can't these stupid platforms stop changing?" Sora complained, recovering from losing his footing on one platform.

"If only we had something to make it stop…" Luna agreed, frustrated at their lack of progress.

But then, all of a sudden, Sora and Luna heard something land on the ground and hop around like a pogo stick. At first, they didn't know what the heck was going on – that is, until they looked to the left to notice that a card dropped out of nowhere, and it was far different from the ones they were given previously.

"What's that?" Sora wondered.

Quickly using a Shadow Hand, Luna grabbed the card before it fell flat on its face and brought it over for them to see.

"I've never seen this type of card…" Luna commented on the strange design.

Then, without a word of warning, the card briefly flashed as everyone suddenly felt the platforms rise up altogether on an even level – high enough for them to have an easier time to catch the lamp and snag it! Now they have an opening.

"I don't know where that came from," Sora admitted, "but let's make the most of it!"

"Hurry, everyone!" Luna called out to their friends, "Get the lamp before the platforms get messed up again."

Now that the platforms are straightened out, it proved a lot easier to work on forcing the lamp to fall to the floor and keeping out of Jafar's range of attacks what with the higher elevations. Eventually, the lamp fell out of the talons and was caught by Aladdin, who certainly had something to say to their devious adversary.

"You wanted to be genie? You got it – and everything that goes with it!" he called out the sorcerer on his follies.

Because of the overbearing power of the lamp itself, Jafar was forced to enter into the prison that he unknowingly made for himself, and was gone in a blink of an eye. With the vizier-turned-genie out of the way, the lava-filled arena changed back into the familiar desert city that they were used to, and everybody made it through the danger in one piece; at least this was good news. Now, what to do with the lamp itself…

"I don't think we should let this thing stay in the city for another second," Medea said, glaring at the lamp.

"That's true. It could be dangerous for anyone if Jafar is summoned from this thing," Luna agreed in concern.

Fortunately, Genie provided the solution for them as he gingerly took the lamp from Aladdin's hands.

"Allow me. Ten thousand years in the desert oughta chill him out," Genie suggested.

Everyone watched as Genie positioned the black lamp on the edges of his hand, and then used the fingers of his other hand to flick the accursed artifact out of Agrabah to the farthest regions of the desert, where nobody will be able to find the lamp to save their own life. At least it gave the hope that the vizier will never bother the kingdom ever again.

In the meantime, Donald found the lamp their fellow Genie lived in and gave it back to Aladdin without a second thought.

"We did it! We rescued Jasmine AND we got the lamp back," Donald cheered.

"You still have one wish left, Aladdin," Goofy remembered.

"Oh, that's right. What will you do with it?" Luna asked out of curiosity.

"He sure does," Genie agreed, glad to do something generous for a change, "Time for me to make a prince outta this guy! 'Course I'd love to be free, but like they always say, genies can't be choosers. You're probably miffed about the whole puppet-of-Jafar thing, anyway. Go on, Al. Wish for what's really in your heart. Be a prince. Get the girl."

"Aw, c'mon, why're you telling him to do that?" Medea asked, questioning the idea. "I thought he made a promise on what to do with his last wish, or did everybody forget the whole damn thing with all the Heartless and that rat Jafar making mayhem around the place?"

Almost everybody forgot that this did happen before things with the Heartless got more difficult, and Jafar didn't help at all when he sought the lamp in his bid for seizing power as the monarch of the desert kingdom. However, it is Aladdin's decision on what he'll do with his last wish; whatever he chooses to use it for, his mind won't be changed afterwards and his verdict will dictate where Genie will be after that.

"Okay, here goes," Aladdin finally makes his choice, "Genie, I wish for your freedom!"

Upon hearing this, Genie was surprised. "But Al –"

The moment Aladdin used his third wish on behalf of Genie, the magic once used to affect everyone who uses his ability suddenly its power to change Genie's form and allow him to move independently with nothing to chain him to anyone's whims. Amazed at this, their blue comedian couldn't help but marvel at the newfound freedom he was given because one person gladly chose to give him what he wanted more than anything else.

"Now no one like Jafar can use you for evil again," Aladdin promised him, "Genie, you're free!"

Genie felt moved by the kind repayment. "Al, I'll never forget this. But what about Jasmine? What are you gonna do?"

"I was wrong, Genie. If I used your help to win Jasmine…" Aladdin replied honestly, "I'd be no better than Jafar." He then turned to Sora and Luna. "Jasmine means the world to me. I want to show her the real me."

"That's the spirit!" Sora said with encouragement.

"I'm sure she'd love to hear you say that when you talk to her," Luna agreed, blushing at the cute ideas on the budding romance.

"Thanks, and good luck to you both, too," Aladdin thanked them with appreciation for their support.

"What for?" Sora asked, confused.

"I was ready to give up back there," he replied, "but what you said really kept me going. That's when it hit me. You both must be looking for someone you care about, too."

"Damn straight they are," Medea agreed on that matter.

"Yeah…" Sora admitted simply.

"That's the truth," Luna agreed with them.

Aladdin gave them an encouraging smile. "Don't worry. I'm sure both your wishes will come true. Take care, Sora. You, too, Luna."

* * *

As they started to take their leave of Agrabah and return to Castle Oblivion's hallways, there was one thing that just wouldn't stop bothering Luna after that fight against Jafar. It seemed rather too convenient that a magic card would be dropped down to them, especially since it helped turn the tides of battle to their favor. It's almost as though somebody wanted them to proceed through the fight without being delayed by their enemy.

But who would do that?

Was it Axel? No, that didn't make sense. He implied he had other plans, but won't tell them.

Was it the hooded man? No, that didn't sound right. They haven't seen that man in a while, and he wasn't going to show his face again anytime soon.

But if it's neither of those new faces, then who's pulling the strings right now?

"Why would someone want to help us like that?" Luna wondered aloud. "Was someone there, and we didn't even notice it when we started making our way up?"

"What are you worried about, Luna?" Sora asked her, noticing her puzzled face. "It's about that weird card we used back when we fought Jafar, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was. As helpful as it was, it felt…a bit too convenient," Luna replied, "I mean, what person would go out of their way to give us something that messes with the environment? I haven't even seen who did this."

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe we got ourselves a secret guardian somewhere in the shadows. I dunno. Maybe we'll find out if it happens again."

Medea didn't sound convinced. "Are you sure about that? I sure as hell didn't see anything in that lava arena."

"Hey, I'm just guessing!" Sora insisted.

"There is one truth to this. We won't know who is responsible for the help we got until we see this happen again," Luna admitted, knowing that it won't be the last time that oddity will happen.

* * *

Hiding from one of the higher vantage points, a lone male figure watched as the five visitors made their way out of the world of Agrabah. Even from afar, he was able to pinpoint who these individuals from particular details about them. He could easily spot the boy called Sora since he possesses the keyblade in his hand; he couldn't believe that this is the boy who is the person of interest. He didn't care too much about the duck and the dog, though, as good as they are at being the supporting team members; why those two are around is beyond him.

But the last two really got his attention. The first one is undoubtedly the girl he heard about: Luna. The name alone gave him pretty strong feelings about it, drinking up the fragility joined with the uncanny power she possessed. The other appeared to be her protector…a Shadow Guardian, did he hear that right? He couldn't help but notice that she hasn't been retreating to her master's shadow as often as she would have. Why is that?

It didn't matter to him. He wanted to do something to hasten the progress so that he can meet up with them, and reunite with the girl who he called his sister. He wanted his family back, and Luna is all he has left.


	7. Chapter 6: Neverland - Riku

**I think GradGirl2010 is gonna like this.**

 **Hello, everyone! Lilith here again. And since we're here, I've got a proposition for you viewers.**

 **See, to spoil what's gonna be coming just a bit, since I have plans to keep Luna active a while longer during 358/2 Days, I decided that I wanted to insert different worlds for Luna and her partners to explore around while Sora's busy taking his long-ass nap. Besides, as you know, Roxas and the Organization bozos are pretty much through far too familiar territory (with at least one having some insight as to why Xaldin does the jerk things he does), so I wanted to do something DRASTICALLY different.**

 **And this is where you guys come in! I'd like to hear from you, the viewers, readers, and reviewers, on what worlds I should put in for the next fic of the series.**

 **Now, I'm sure that the list of Disney materials is pretty big, so to simplify the process, I'll be laying down some qualifiers right off the bat:**

 **1) No Star Wars or Marvel. Where I stand, that's their own thing. I know Disney bought the rights to them, but those two franchises are disqualified.**

 **2) Live actions movies are acceptable (even those mixed with cartoon animation), provided that they were made entirely by Disney. Sorry, Roger Rabbit fans.**

 **3) Pixar is open for acceptance. Just don't suggest Toy Story since the E3 biz announced that that world is going to make a debut in the next game.**

 **4) I am accepting Studio Ghibli films, provided that they have been dubbed by Disney. So, for any Princess Mononoke fans, I apologize sincerely for disqualifying that movie.**

 **5) I am not counting TV shows in the lineup, as I haven't watched any TV shows created by Disney. Sorry about that.**

 **6) Lastly, I am not accepting suggestions of anime that aren't dubbed by Disney. So, for the love of Kingdom Hearts, don't suggest anything from Shonen Jump, Aniplex, Funimation, etc.**

 **And as a bonus treat for you guys and girls, I'd like to add a little more flavor into the mix: for any who are also fans of Final Fantasy, I am allowing you to offer up ideas on characters from the Final Fantasy franchise you want to make guest appearances or debuts. Is there a character or two you think is severely underrated and should be in Kingdom Hearts you want to see? A hero, heroine, a villain? Let me know. Besides, the selection did get bigger recently.**

 **Also, give me a reason as to why you want the world (or worlds) of your choice to make an appearance. Do you want this world in because of its contents, its characters, the storyline, or anything petty? Don't be afraid to tell me what you loved.**

 **And now, back to the show!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 6 – B11; Neverland, Riku

"So, then, what world shall we proceed in next?"

Noir's curious question caught Riku's attention as he remembered that the cards Ansem gave him were meant to lead him to the memories of other worlds. However, since she is accompanying him through the castle and the worlds crafted by the cards, the experience will be far different from what he had been through prior to arriving here.

"Good question. What sounds like a good place to start?" he asked her.

"Well, you're the one who's holding the cards," Noir replied, "so shouldn't you be the one to choose the destination? Still, I am interested in knowing what we'll find in the next world we traverse through."

Examining each of the cards in his possession, Riku wondered what would be a good starting point to progress through the basement. Besides, it's not like Ansem's gonna show his face for a little while, at the very least. They might as well make the most of it while he's not there to taunt them, or attempt to force him to give in to the darkness he has come to loathe ever since barely escaping being lost forever to the abyss. In any case, they'll running into the villains he had come to know in the worlds to come, so they might as well deal with it.

After carefully weighing his choices, he decided on what world they'll go through next.

"How does this one sound to you?" Riku asked, holding up on for her to see.

Noir peered over his shoulder to see that he's holding a card that has a pirate ship hovering across the ocean on one side, and an unfamiliar location on the other side of the layout.

"Hmm… That's a peculiar world, what with the ship present," Noir said as she examined it, "What is this world?"

"It's Neverland," Riku replied to her, "At least, from what I've experienced."

"If that's the case, then we might run into some trouble if we set one foot on board," she cautioned.

Riku shrugged. "Maybe. After all, it's only a figment of my memory."

Approaching the door to the next level of the castle basement, Riku used the card he had chosen for their next venture and proceeded through the door to the next world of his choosing, with Noir following carefully behind him just in case something goes horribly wrong at any given moment…

* * *

Sure enough, as soon as they have entered the new world, the two of them found themselves on board the topside deck of a pirate ship. As Riku looked across the deck for any sign of a crew – or any living soul, for that matter - Noir couldn't help looking around the place with intrigue at the new place she's never seen before. Still, it felt rather unnerving at how eerily quiet it is on board the ship. Shouldn't someone have heard them walking around by now? If not, then this is the lousiest pirate crew to ever exist.

"I almost expected to be surrounded by pirates or something," Riku joked sarcastically.

"Whoever owns this ship must not be the brightest bulb to sail the seas," Noir agreed, shaking her head in disapproval at the emptiness of the vessel.

They spoke too soon when, not along after reaching the lower part of the deck, they found themselves suddenly surrounded by pirate Heartless with their curved blades pointed out towards them. Not long after the minions arrived, footsteps were heard from above them, making the two turn around and look up to the upper decks to see a more human individual come out to greet them personally. Judging from the classy attire (and rather big feathered hat) and the metal hook where one hand should have been, there is only one person who fits the mold of the typical pirate than anybody else…

"Well, this looks familiar," Riku deadpanned. "Where there are pirates, that means Hook is not far off."

"If there's one thing I don't tolerate aboard me ship, it's having stowaways poking around where they aren't welcome," Captain Hook sneered at them, "more so if they're involved with that scurvy brat Peter Pan!"

"So this is the captain of the ship?" Noir questioned, unimpressed. "I was expecting someone a bit…scruffier than that."

Hook took offense to the last bit she said. "What?! What kind of wench talks like that? I'll have you both know that you'll not be pullin' any shenanigans aboard my vessel, not while I'm in charge! Drop them into the brig!"

Right when they least expected it, the floor that Riku and Noir were standing on suddenly opened up underneath them to the inside of the vessel, causing both of them to abruptly fall right into the hole of the hidden trapdoor – right into the prison cell below. But before the trapdoor closed above them, they could hear him say something that sounded important.

"Now, I just need to figure out how to get me hostage to behave until Pan arrives…"

Once the trapdoor closed up, leaving them to their own devices and with seemingly no way out of their prison, they had a moment to sort things out between themselves. Riku couldn't help shaking his head at the blunder they made upon arriving on the ship.

"Now I know how Sora felt when that happened to him," he muttered.

Noir looked at him, brow raised in suspicion. "How? Did you pull a prank on him?"

It was yet another thing that he didn't want to talk about. Anything horrible act he did whenever his childhood friends were around made his stomach churn with disgust at himself. On Sora's part, he made a fool out of him and had him plummet into a trapdoor leading below decks, while he kept Luna nearby him so that he could, under Maleficent's suggestion, convince her to help him restore Kairi's heart. With the latter, he couldn't believe how much of an idiot he was for not listening to her when he should've been; in fact, he really wished he hadn't pushed his arguments so far to the point where he –

Instantly, his face turned a beet red when he realized what he was thinking about, and quickly shoved it inside the back of his mind out of mortification for his past transgression. Noir noticed this, and her face changed from suspicion to concern.

"Are you okay, Riku? What were you thinking about?" she asked him.

"Nothing, nothing!" he answered quickly, "I-It's nothing serious, really."

He could tell from the look of her arched brow that she suspects something is bothering him, but he felt thankful that she didn't think about pressing him for answers since this isn't the right time to discuss any personal issues. Right now, they need to find a way out of the lower decks and get back on topside, give that crusty captain a dose of his own medicine or something.

"So, then...that man who calls himself Hook," Noir shifted the topic elsewhere, "I'm assuming that he has a gnarly revenge against someone. And apparently, he has a hostage kept somewhere on this ship."

"Yeah, he did mention something about 'Pan' and getting a hostage to behave," Riku agreed as he looked around the room for a way out, "That means we're not the only ones on board."

"Perhaps the hostage aboard the vessel might know what's going on?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Maybe. But then, how are we going to get out?" Riku had to question, not finding anything useful to escape.

Tenebrae emerged from Noir's shadow, and turned her gaze to the door. _"A wary eye watches outside, but their focus is elsewhere. The tool for escape is kept close by, but still feasible to reach if done with caution."_

Intrigued as to what the Guardian was talking about, Riku and Noir crept to the door and peeked out the window of the door to find a pirate Heartless standing guard outside their cell. Examining a bit further down, they found a set of keys kept on the sash of the Heartless' belt, held closely to prevent it from being lost. Well, well, well…it looked like they've found their answer to leaving this vessel and getting to the bottom of whatever it is the captain's got cooking for his prisoners atop the deck.

"I guess you're right about one thing: Hook is not the brightest bulb," Riku joked.

"Given how the key is conveniently placed with one guard," Noir agreed, "maybe I was right about it. You think you can reach for it if I detained that Heartless?"

"Do that. It's not like it'll get the chance to turn and fight," Riku approved.

Using a Dark Hand from inside their cell, Noir managed to catch the guarding Heartless unaware, forcing it to hover close to their window's level; this allowed Riku just enough time to grab the keys from the belt before he used his blade to eliminate that Heartless so as to delay any alarms to their activities. From inside their prison, they successfully unlocked the door and escaped out of their designated cell, free to make their next move on how to handle the matter of the pirate ship.

"Now, then, I suppose we'll be searching for whoever is the hostage?" Noir guessed.

"That'd be a good place to start," Riku agreed, "The sooner we find the prisoner, the sooner we can get off the ship."

* * *

Of course, it wasn't going to be a walk in the park, considering how the ship itself is filled to the brim with Heartless on guard should anyone attempt escape from the captain's clutches.

Obviously, Captain Hook was unquestionably doing everything in his power to keep anyone from escaping his vessel. Not only did the two have to deal with the alarming number of regular pirate Heartless patrolling around the corridors, but sometimes there would be their flying cousins giving them trouble from above, conducting aerial raids on the escapees. Thankfully, Noir's Shadow Guardian, Tenebrae, kept them safe from the bombardments with her impenetrable cloak while the two of them took care of the Heartless that launched their attack against them.

"For a bumbling captain, he has quite the tight security," Noir commented when things calmed down.

"Sure, he does. Though, using the Heartless to maintain the ship is no excuse," Riku said, "He needs to find a better crew for his troubles."

"And he should consider investing in a different type of wood," Noir added, tapping her feet against the creaking boards. "Whatever timber he uses is not the best quality, more so for a travel across rough seas. And don't get me started on the stench of this place…"

Tenebrae interrupted her when she gave a warning, _"Something comes. Hide from sight, and listen close."_

When they heard footsteps approaching in their direction, Riku and Noir immediately hid behind the crates and barrels stacked by the corner as the Guardian vanished into her master's shadow, only slightly peeking to find out what's coming. Turns out, it was actually Hook's bumbling accomplice, Mr. Smee, and he can be seen stumbling through the cargo hold worriedly as he hurried to the long pipe used to communicate from below decks. It made them wonder if he had discovered they've escaped from the brig, and intends to alert his boss about the unprecedented development – and for that matter, if he even knew that they were 'stowaways' on board the ship the captain had caught when they arrived.

"Uh…C-Captain?" Smee said nervously, "The stowaways have escaped, and what's more, they're gone."

From the pipe, Hook's voice can be heard loudly. "What!? They've escaped? Round up the Heartless and find them, Smee! Hop to it!"

"Aye, aye…but, uh, what about the hostage?" he had to ask out of curiosity. "What do we do about her?"

"Never mind about her for now," Hook demanded, "She's safe in me cabin. Bring the fugitives above deck, and make it snappy!"

Immediately, Smee scrambled out of the cargo hold to search for help and follow the captain's orders. Once he was gone, though, Riku and Noir emerged from their hiding spot to assess the current situation – which is clearly sounding like a problematic situation, what with the fact someone knows they've escaped.

"I feel sorry for that poor fool," Noir sighed, "I have to wonder why he even sticks around with that bully of a captain."

Riku shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? If I knew better than him, I wouldn't want to be around him for another second."

Though he was being honest about what he wouldn't want to do, in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake off the fact that he did help the revenge-happy captain kidnap an innocent person under orders from the witch. Though, that didn't last long thanks to particular details only he heard about from her.

Speaking of which, did he hear right that the hostage is a 'she'? Then, that could only mean the other prisoner on board the ship is…

"We'd better head for Hook's cabin. I'm getting the feeling that 'she' might have an idea what's going on," Riku suggested.

"Are you sure? It might be a trap," Noir asked, uncertain about what might be ahead.

"Maybe, but it's not like we have any other choice," he replied, suspecting the inevitable, "We'll be seeing Hook again one way or another. But then again, this might be a good chance to get at him for dropping us down below."

Thinking it over a bit, Noir had a sneaking suspicion that Riku must've had an idea of what will be expected if they continue to work their way through the ship. They got caught by Captain Hook for wandering on board like intruders (unintentional, though it was), so if they were to somehow escape, chances are the captain will do whatever it takes to put them in their place. To top it off, he's using someone as bait for another person, so what better way to screw the pirate over than to uncover the crime and help the victim get out of their dilemma in the meantime? It's too hard to back down with that thought in mind.

"Well, then, I suppose you're right about that," she agreed with caution, "But let's be careful, just in case that captain has Heartless waiting for us where the hostage is said to be."

Now that he can agree on. "Yeah, you're probably right. If my memory is correct, the captain's cabin should be…"

* * *

Following his memory on where to enter the captain's cabin, Riku led Noir over to one of the hidden stairways kept concealed within the lower cabins meant for a pirate crew to settle in, and they uncovered a ladder leading to a hatch above them. Climbing up the ladder and opening the hatch carefully, they looked around from under the cracks to find nobody there – no Hook, no Heartless, nothing. However, they did find a young girl in a light-blue nightdress near the cabin door, trying to see if the captain is outside on the upper deck.

"Huh. Looks like Hook's too busy finding us to bother checking here," Riku said in dull surprise.

"But the hostage he has…she's only a child!" Noir was in disbelief at the sight of the girl trapped inside. "She must be very frightened after being abducted by a cruel man such as him."

Unknown to them, their conversation caught the girl's attention as she stepped away from the door to investigate where the voices are coming from.

"Hello? Is someone here?" she asked, uneasy.

That is when the two realized that the cat's out of the bag; they got her attention, so they might as well let her see them. Using his own strength, Riku pushed open the hatch and climbed out with Noir following not far behind him.

Once the girl saw them, she was surprised to find company. "Oh! Hello there. Were you both kidnapped by Captain Hook, too?"

"Well…no, not really," Riku struggled to explain, "We just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Though we will admit the captain didn't like that we were wandering around his ship," Noir added, "He dropped into a prison cell, meaning to keep us in there while he's out plotting a revenge on someone called 'Pan'." She paused. "Are you the hostage aboard this vessel?"

"Yes, unfortunately… My name is Wendy," Wendy answered, introducing herself. "And you two are…?"

"I'm Riku," said Riku.

"Call me Noir, dear," Noir said gently.

"So, Wendy, why did Captain Hook kidnap you like he did?" Riku asked her, "What did you do to get into this level of trouble?"

Wendy didn't say anything for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain herself.

"Well…I came here to Neverland with Peter Pan after I had helped him return his shadow. He promised adventure, and not having to grow up," Wendy explained, "It was amazing, don't get me wrong. But…I couldn't stay here forever. I have family back home in London, and I couldn't bear to leave them bereft." She paused with a sad frown. "Peter got upset about me wanting to return home, and he told me that if I returned home, I would grow up, and I would forget about Neverland entirely. After that, I meant to talk to him, but Hook and his nasty pirates ambushed me and brought me to the Jolly Roger. Now he plans to use me to lure Peter out and get his revenge!"

It hurt Riku a lot to hear her talk about what happened to her leading to her kidnapping; mostly because it reminded him of how he had helped the captain abduct her when he got in with the wrong crowd before. Perhaps it's the guilt in him talking, but hearing her plight gave him the urge to make up for one of his mistakes by helping her get out of the captain's clutches and see her safely off the vessel.

Noir, taking pity on Wendy, assures her, "At least you're not the only one in this mess, dear child. Riku and I will help you until your friend arrives. And besides, I do have a few complaints to give to that man-child."

Riku raised a brow at the last sentence. "How is that gonna work? Besides Hook – who I know doesn't act his age – you're the only adult on this ship. You're not expecting a pirate to be easy to give a lecture on, do you?"

"Oh, I'll think of something, trust me," Noir replied with a mischievous smile, "And besides, I'm sure you have some things we'll need to discuss about later."

It didn't take him long to realize where she was going with this: she's aware that he's got some skeletons in his closet, and it's only a matter of time before the doors open wide for her to see. But he really didn't want to think about it right now. He really needed a distraction, if only a temporary one… Well, there's still the matter of Hook to deal with, so maybe that can get him to vent his embarrassment?

"O-Okay, let's just get out of the cabin and do something about Hook before he realizes we're already in here!" he suggested quickly, flustered.

Noir shook her head with a smile before replying, "Alright, then, Riku. Let's get this over with. The sooner we ditch the captain, the sooner we can leave."

* * *

And they couldn't have been more right about it; not long after opening the door to the outside of the ship, they found Captain Hook frantically searching around the deck for them with his company of pirate Heartless. But once the door shut loudly, the captain turned around anxiously to see who's there – to find that Riku, Noir and Wendy are outside of their intended prisons and on the decks with him! At first, he was alarmed to find them right within his vicinity because he didn't expect to see them free from captivity.

"Swoggle me eyes! How did you bilge rats escape from below?" he demanded, dread oozing from his voice. But then, he slapped himself, forcing himself to pull his head together and do his job. "Well, no matter! It's not like you'll all get the chance to leave this vessel – alive, if you know what I mean. But I can be generous and let all three of you join my crew…unless you want to walk the plank!"

Yeah, Riku had a feeling where this is going. Somehow he had a suspicion the captain would try and tempt them to join his crew, if only to use them to keep up his revenge grind. But why would anyone want to be around this sorry excuse for a pirate? He'd just get rid of them if anybody ever stepped out of line.

Wendy certainly wasn't thrilled at the ultimatum. "Captain Hook, we will never join your crew!"

"I second that. You've already got the Heartless doing the dirty work," Riku mocked him, "so why should we care about joining you?"

"I'm not sure if you're noticing it, but where I'm standing," Noir added in, "you are by far the worst pirate I have ever seen."

That got the captain riled up. "So you scurvy brats don't think I'm bein' generous, don't you? Alright, then, it's to the plank with you – starting with you, Wendy!" He then pointed his hook at Riku and Noir. "And you two will be following right after her!"

That didn't sound good: the poor who already had enough problems had to be the first to walk off the plank and plummet into the ocean – assuming that there aren't any crocodiles searching the seas for something that could potentially be food. But it's only worse that they had to get in line for an execution nobody asked for. Now what are they going to do?

As the pirate Heartless pointed their blades at Wendy, forcing her to make her move towards the edge of the plank, Noir took matters into her own hands and attempted to goad the captain into an argument against her with the hopes of stalling for time for the child.

"You must be quite proud of yourself, aren't you? You're not only a child kidnapper," Noir insulted him ruthlessly, "but you'll be setting yourself up as a child murderer! How do you suppose that will help your reputation as a pirate, hm?"

It seemed to work on him. "Who do you think you are, criticizing my job?!"

"Honestly, I couldn't care less about what your job is. You're an adult, and yet you're acting like an undisciplined child who hasn't gotten a proper education on important matters," Noir berated him angrily. "And do I even need to mention how poorly you seem to be maintaining your own ship? Haven't you ever noticed the stench of the lower decks? It's almost like someone didn't even take the time to clean it up, top to bottom. Worse still, your ship looks like the type that could fall apart with the horrible quality of wood used for this thing!"

Although it seemed like Noir was trying to provoke Hook in order to get him to grow irritated, there was something in the midst of the bickering that caught Riku's attention. In fact, if there's one thing he's noticing, it's that her arguing is making the Heartless appear to be confused and unsure of what to do without the captain's full attention; not to mention, Wendy is only halfway towards the edge of the plank when she realized that the minions weren't focused on her anymore. Is it possible that…? Wait…

A knowing smirk crossed his face when he finally put two and two together: Noir was actually trying to stall Hook until Wendy can get the help she really needs right now! He should've known his partner would do that since she had some not-so-nice things to say about the captain himself since they got here.

But then, it all came to a head when Hook finally grew fed up with her insults and complaints that he finally drew his blade to her chest, almost ready to stab her at any moment.

"If you're that eager to throw your life away, then I'll see to it you'll be sleeping with the fishes!" Captain Hook growled furiously.

But Riku is having none of that. "Not while I'm around!"

At once, Riku immediately charged in after the captain and forced him away from his companion, giving them enough space to deal with him. After that unexpected defense, Hook took a moment to recover his footing before he drew his blade and prepared himself to challenge them – but not without pulling a last-ditch effort with the Heartless on the deck.

"You scurvy brats! You've gone too far!" he cried in outrage, "Heartless! Don't let the girl get back on board! I'll take care of the bilge rats!"

For Riku and Noir, that meant their problem is two-fold: Wendy is cut off from the vessel by the Heartless, and Hook is hell-bent on cleaning up his ship of the pests that bothered him way too much.

"We're all between a rock and a hard place, aren't we?" Noir commented.

"I wouldn't say that. I can deal with the captain," Riku suggested, "and you can turn back and help Wendy."

She looked to him, uncertain. "Can you handle him?"

He gave her a confident smile. "No sweat. It's the least I can do after the trouble I made before."

Though she didn't want to leave him to his own devices, Noir recalled how he had intended on making up for his errors of the past, even if it meant facing the enemies he had once worked with before ending up in the white castle. Knowing she can't change his mind this time, she relented and hurried back to face the Heartless while he faced off against the captain, both of them ready to clear up the vessel of the filth that is the Heartless and their master.

On Riku's part, dealing with Captain Hook was an odd mix of a cakewalk and an annoyance. On the one hand, his swordplay was laughably easy to avoid and it wasn't hard for him to trip up the pirate enough to make him fall flat on his face. On the other hand, his exploding presents and the barrels set to explode after the fuses reach the powder forced him to stay on his toes and find a way to make the captain take the flames instead of him. But then again, he should've expected the immature captain to not play fair like any typical pirate; he just won't tolerate anyone making a fool out of him.

Meanwhile, Noir made haste to wipe out every Heartless within range of her Dark Hands, trying to hurry to Wendy's aid before the rocking of the ship became too much for her to handle. The creatures on ground level were easy enough to handle, but the flying pirates were annoying to deal with because they tried to throw either her or Wendy off-balance with their aerial maneuvers like a bomb squad. This proved to be so annoying for her that she had to summon Tenebrae just to keep the flying Heartless off her back until she reached the plank, and even then she had to be careful when stepping on the thin stretch of wood laid out.

"Wendy? It's alright, sweetie," she said, trying her best to ease her fears, "Just walk towards me, slowly. Don't worry. Riku is handling the captain. Just look at me, and move slowly, okay?"

Nodding nervously, Wendy carefully walked away from the edge of the plank, slowly but steadily inching her way to where Noir is before finally being led off the plank onto safer ground – well, as safe as it gets on a ship anyways. But at the very least, the child is successfully rescued from falling off into the sea.

"Now, Wendy, I need you to head up to the helm," Noir instructed her, "and don't leave that area until either we've dealt with the captain or your friend arrives. Okay?"

"What will you do?" Wendy asked her.

"I'll just make a clean sweep of the rest of those monsters," Noir replied, "and hope that Riku's finished up by the time I'm done with them…"

Speaking of which, Hook's troublesome tactics eventually forced Riku to resort to drastic measures just to tip the scales in his favor. Tapping into only a small fraction of the dark power allowed him just enough time to lay a major beat down on Captain Hook until he found himself dangerously close to the edge of the ship's railing, almost ready to tumble over it into the ocean at any given moment.

"How could you?! I'll get you and yer friend yet, if it's the last thing I do!" Hook cursed, angry at his humiliating defeat.

Riku shook his head. "I don't think so."

Using a blast of darkened fire, the force of the blast pushed Captain Hook back so hard that the rails broke apart from the impact, causing him to fall right into the ocean. After that, a little entertainment was well-provided when, not long after falling in, a crocodile arrived along with the sound of a ticking clock and Hook proceeded to panic and swim away from it like a frightened maniac. Not far behind them is a little rowboat piloted by none other than Smee, who most likely didn't succeed in his job earlier and is trying to give chase to rescue his captain from getting eaten.

"Wow…he's definitely not the brightest pirate on the seas," Riku joked at the sight.

Noir joined him not long after and commented, "Well, didn't you say yourself that he never acts his age? He even threatened a child in a manner no different than a grade school bully."

"Speaking of child, where's Wendy?" he asked.

Tenebrae answered the question for her master. _"Look yonder. See how the children laugh, knowing the worst is now in the past."_

Seeing where the Guardian pointed her finger, both of them squinted their eyes and could make out Wendy being held by a boy in green, watching the comedy from the skies. Although it was hard to tell, they could've sworn that they could see the girl waving out to them as though she was thanking them for helping her. That meant her friend, Peter, had picked her up in the middle of the chaos and is about to deliver her safely to where she belongs. It relieved them to know that someone is in good hands now.

"Well, at least she is safe from harm," Noir suddenly spoke, "that's for sure. She didn't deserve to be treated as she was aboard this awful ship."

"I know someone who didn't deserve that herself…" Riku murmured to himself.

Noir turned to him in confusion. "Pardon?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, just talking to myself. At any rate, we'd better be going. And I really don't want Ansem to show up as soon as we come out."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the dark room of the basement, Lexaeus and Vexen waited for their comrade, Zexion, to finish his investigation on his previous findings; while Lexaeus didn't move from his spot, Vexen began pacing in a circle impatiently, anxious for something to sate his curiosity. But once a little gasp came out the third man, both of them turned to find out what it is he had found.

"I have identified the scent. It is Riku," Zexion announced.

Vexen was intrigued. "Riku, you say? Has he emerged from the realm of darkness?"

He nodded. "His existence – it was once doubled in the darkness."

"Fascinating…That's why you mistook him for the Superior," Vexen said, eager at the information. "The dark power given to him facilitated his escape from its realm."

"What I want to know is why he appeared here in Castle Oblivion," Zexion said, not knowing what to make of the situation.

"It's really quite simple. His existence resonates with that of another hero," Vexen replied with a knowing tone.

Lexaeus and Zexion, upon hearing this fact, realized what that meant: there is another person inside the castle as well.

"Sora is in the castle?" Zexion asked.

"He arrived earlier; along with a girl called Luna," Vexen replied, "Marluxia is already using Namine's unique powers with their hearts."

"Without even bothering to consult us," Zexion sighed dismally.

"It seems he desperately wants the Keyblade master and the Shadow Mage for himself – What a foolish plan, indeed," Vexen agreed, shaking his head at the absurdity of the matter. "Sora's is not an interesting existence. As for where Luna stands, that's yet to be determined. The entity that holds true value – is Riku, the hero of darkness."

"Speaking of Luna…" Zexion was about to say something, but then hesitated. After further investigating into the different scents he found so abruptly, he wasn't sure whether it would be a good idea to tell them about the last one he took the time to inspect deeper into when he had the opportunity to do so. Who would believe him?

Lexaeus noticed the hesitation, though, and turned to him. "Is there something else?"

After a moment's silence, he finally replied, "Yes… Besides Riku, there's actually one more scent."

Now Vexen didn't see that coming. "There's another? Whose is it?"

"I don't know whose it is. But…there is something eerily similar about it," Zexion replied, choosing his words carefully. "A dark scent, though it is, it's far different from that of other users of that power. If it was Luna, I would've identified it effectively. But it isn't. Which begs the question: is there someone else like her wandering around?"

Now that got the scientist's attention. First, a boy who escaped from the dark realm is discovered to be in Castle Oblivion with Sora and Luna venturing topside, and now there's news of the possibility of another person wandering about? The researcher within him just couldn't help salivating at the idea of investigating the new developments. Perhaps these unforeseen events might have valuable data he can use to turn things around…

"How interesting…I might just have to look into this, won't I?" he said to himself, an eager smirk crossing his face.


	8. Chapter 7: Memory Issues

**Yeah, this chapter's a lot shorter than usual. I apologize in advance for it.**

 **So, then, I noticed that some of you have noticed my request for help on ideas for Disney worlds and/or Final Fantasy characters they want to see in my take on 358/2 Days. A pretty good start.**

 **So, I'm just bringing it out right now, if anybody else has any ideas for Disney worlds they want me to put in or Final Fantasy characters they want to make guest appearances, please let me know and give me reasons why you want them in. Don't be shy about giving me detailed reasons. Just be sure to read the rules I established in the previous chapter, and I'll be willing to hear you out on your choices.**

 **With that out of the way, things are getting a little crazier in Castle Oblivion. Let's hope our heroes and heroines pull through...**

 **So without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To Guest 1: Oh, don't worry. Luna and her selections of partners will be crossing paths with Roxas and Xion from time to time. It'd be a crime to ignore them! That being said, do you have any suggestions for Disney worlds you want in? Or any Final Fantasy characters you think should get a chance in the spotlight of guest appearances? Let me know.**

 **To Guest 2: Hmmm...Honestly, I never thought about Frozen or Moana. I loved your ideas for how they could work, especially on Luna's account. I'll definitely think about those two. As for having Jecht from FF10 making an appearance, how do you want Luna to help with the father-son issues? Care to give me an idea how that could work?**

 **To Gry21: No, Transformers of any kind doesn't count. They were made by some other company, I'm sure. One of my rules says no TV shows, and if I was to extend that to even shows not made by Disney, I'd disqualify them in an instant. My primary focus is on full-length feature films. However, if you haven't noticed it yet, I am accepting live action movies made by Disney or Studio Ghibli films dubbed by Disney, if that'll help. Or you can also examine the animated films over the long years of Disney's filmmaking. Up to you.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but no flames.**

* * *

Chapter 7 – Floor 3; Memory Issues, Sora

After returning to the whiteness of Castle Oblivion, Sora, Luna and the others proceeded to start heading down the hall to reach the next floor of the castle. But as they were midway there, Goofy suddenly paused, lost in his thought about their talk back at the previous floor; this made everyone stop when they recognized that Goofy had just stopped.

"What's the matter?" Donald asked.

"It's that creepy castle I was talking about earlier…" Goofy replied. "I know I didn't imagine it. 'Cause that was the castle where Sora had to use the Keyblade to free Kairi's heart. Then he just disappeared! I was so worried. How could I ever forget that?"

Luna certainly remembered that horrible event; when Sora used that malicious keyblade on himself, it was the worst thing she ever had to experience because, at the time, Sora was her only friend from the islands that she had to keep going in order to stop the Heartless' rampage.

"I know that feeling, Goofy," she admitted aloud.

"I'm not gonna lie about that," Medea agreed, "It was an ugly thing to go through."

It didn't take long for Sora to remember about that since he was the person directly involved in that incident. Who could forget such a horror like that?

"Oh! It was when I turned into a Heartless," Sora recalled. But that got him confused. "Wait. That happened…in a castle?"

Donald sighed in dismay. "Aww… You forget that? 'Cause I remember it perfectly."

"Oh, yeah? You sure you remember it perfectly?" Medea asked skeptically.

"What's it called?" Sora asked anyways.

"That's easy! It was…" Donald tried to say the words, but nothing came to mind. Apparently, he forgot what it was, and needed help. "Jiminy, help me…Is it in your journal?"

"Every word! I finished the first volume right before we got to this castle," Jiminy replied confidently. "Now, then, if I can just find it…Oh, here we go!"

"Maybe looking through the journal might help you guys a bit," Luna said hopefully.

"Sure damn hope so," Medea agreed reluctantly, "If that cricket's journal doesn't help, then we're definitely screwed."

Jiminy jumped out from Sora's hood, and landed on the floor so he could look over the pages of his journal and find the information they're looking for.

"Let's have a look…" he said as he scanned the book. But then, without warning, alarm crossed his face. "Oh! How could it be?!"

"What's the matter?" Goofy asked, concerned.

Jiminy held up his journal for them to see. "All of my entries – they're gone! Every page is blank!"

Donald jumped in horror. "What'll we do?!"

"I guessed as much. This castle's completely screwing with us!" Medea growled angrily. "Why did this have to be noticed now?"

"If even Jiminy's journal is affected, then how will we remember anything?" Luna asked worriedly.

"How could this have happened?" Jiminy lamented. "I'm so careful with the journals! All that hard work is gone…"

It was one thing for them to hear that the castle causes people to lose their memories, but to think that memories alone are not the only things affected in this place? It felt like a whole new level of horror. Now what are they going to do?

"The journal's blank… What's going on?" Sora felt more confused than ever.

"This isn't looking very good for us…" Luna dreaded.

* * *

In another part of the castle, a young girl sat alone with a sketchbook, colored pencil in hand; she started drawing a picture that only she knows for what reason. For a moment, she just simply wanted to create something, something special.

But then, something else crossed her mind. Somewhere, something pricked into her head, and she was compelled to flip the page and look at something from before. Reluctantly, she flipped backwards and gazed at the previous drawing she did. She didn't approve of it, but she didn't have a clue why. Something about the earlier drawing bothered her, almost like an omen of ill tidings warning her of something out of place.

But…what is it?

She had no idea what it is, but she dreaded to know what it meant…

* * *

Everybody moved slower up the stairs than usual, still reeling after discovering the disturbing twist inflicted upon their fellow cricket. Considering how important the journal is to him, it shouldn't be too farfetched to know how heartbroken he is on having his work completely erased like the events kept in there never happened from the beginning. Coupled with the horror that their memories are indeed slipping away, that just added double the fear factor for them.

"Something's screwy. Journal pages don't just vanish!" Donald suddenly spoke, hung up over the incident.

Sora stopped, a thought crossing his mind. "What if…it's more things?"

Luna stopped upon hearing this. "What do you mean, Sora? Is it about what we discussed before?"

"Goofy was telling us about another castle we'd been to…" he replied, "But none of us really remembers it. Do you think…could it be that we don't remember because we're losing our memories?"

Donald was stunned at this. "Losing? Our memories?"

"Gee, when did you come to that conclusion?" Medea asked sarcastically, "I thought we'd already been aware of this ever since that creeper told us all that crap from the moment we set foot in this damn place."

That was when Jiminy had a thought. "Hold on! Remember what that mystery fella said? 'In this place to find is to lose, and to lose is to find'. It musta been our memories he was talking about!"

This gave Sora something to consider. "So if we keep going, we'll lose more… Guess it really is Castle Oblivion."

"So the higher we go, the more we'll forget?" Donald asked. "Does this mean everything and everybody will be forgotten?"

Sora didn't like that. "Riku and Kairi, too…"

"Then, my family and my other friends…" Luna worried, realizing what she'd forget, too.

Donald noticed their worries and asked, "Do you want to go back?"

"Don't worry, fellahs! We might forget about where we've been or what things we've seen," Goofy reassured them, "but we won't forget who our friends are."

"I don't know…" Donald doubted.

"Thanks for the confidence, duck," Medea deadpanned.

Goofy wasn't done yet. "C'mon, Sora, when you turned into a Heartless, did you forget about me and Donald, or Luna and Medea?"

"Of course I didn't!" Sora replied with certainty.

"There ya go! No matter what happens, you won't forget your friends," Goofy said with a bright smile.

"I don't want to forget them, that's for sure," Luna agreed, feeling somewhat comforted by Goofy's optimism. "And besides, I could never forget Sora, even if I tried."

"I sure as hell ain't getting you kids off my mind," Medea seconded that. "I mean, where the hell would you goofballs be without me around?"

Upon hearing the confident words from multiple angles, Sora couldn't help but feel surprise at the inspirations brought in after the horror they found. It's almost contagious to see them doing their best to make the most of their already difficult situation, but they all got into this together, so it's only fair that it wouldn't be healthy to continue to dwell on the negative side of things for too long.

He couldn't help smiling at them. "You're right. Thanks, you guys."

"So if there's nothing here that can make you forget about your friends," Donald shifted the topic, "then we have nothing to be scared of. Let's go!"

Just as Donald started to turn and marched on forward, there was one little thing on Sora's mind that he couldn't help bringing up.

"But when I turned into a Heartless, who was the one that took forever to notice and kept clobbering me?" Sora teased.

Donald instantly stopped, and turned around with a frown. "How come you didn't forget about that?!"

"Personally, I just find it odd that you didn't damage his brain with all your clobbering," Medea remarked.

"But if it were the other way around, wouldn't any of us have a hard time telling whether the Heartless was Donald?" Luna wondered aloud.

As Donald bounced up and down, feathers ruffled from the comments directed at him, Goofy and Sora couldn't help getting a laugh out of the scene just as Luna and Medea enjoyed the show going on. At least they got a moment to be humorous despite their predicaments so far, but there's no knowing what will happen later down the line…

* * *

Once things have settled down between them, the party traveled through the door leading to Olympus Coliseum, where they participated in a survival cup in which they had the opportunity to challenge the hero Hercules. Though it was disappointing for Luna and Medea that Phil didn't recognize them, at least they did get the chance to join in the game after they passed the preliminary round. Granted, there was trouble within the arena what with Hades being the mastermind behind his usual schemes to get rid of the hero of Greece; but as far the girls were concerned, it felt so satisfying to give the god of the underworld a taste of his own medicine after all the trouble he caused, despite the fact that he's only a memory.

After they left that world, the party proceeded to return to Castle Oblivion's halls and started to make their way toward the next set of stairs waiting for them until Donald suddenly said something that caught their attention.

"I hope the king is gonna be okay…" Donald sighed.

Luna turned to the duck with worry. "You mean King Mickey?"

Sora stopped and turned around in surprise. "Why bring that up?"

"I had to be sure that I hadn't forgotten him," Donald replied.

"How'd that go for ya?" Goofy asked out of curiosity.

Donald smiled. "Good! I remembered – we're on a quest to find the king."

"I remember that, too. The king helped save everything by staying on the other side of the door to darkness. I think…" Goofy said.

That seemed to please the duck. "You got it, Goofy!"

"And me and Luna – we're looking for Riku," Sora added in, "He was with the king when the door closed." He grinned brightly at this. "Hm. I guess there's no way we'll forget the most important memories."

"No, indeed. I remember Riku's promise: he promised he'd come back to me," Luna agreed, "I'm not stopping until I see him again."

"Knowing you, girl, you'd plow through a horde of Heartless just to get him back," Medea commented as she came out of her master's shadow. "You can be stubborn sometimes when you know what you want."

"That's good," Donald sighed in relief, "'Cause I don't want to forget…"

After a little bit more conversation, they decided to keep going further up the stairs and see if they can figure out what worlds are next to travel through before they reached the halfway point. Along the way, though, none of the boys knew that something was starting to bother both Luna and Medea as they kept going up through the castle. Sure, they felt assured that they haven't forgotten looking for Riku and Mickey, but there's something else on their minds…

"Y'know, we may've been able to remember your boyfriend and the mouse," Medea said, unease apparent in her voice. "But there's the issue with your other memories. I'm getting that bad feeling you might be losing some of your past memories as well as the ones you'd just regained."

Luna stopped in her tracks, and grew worried at this. "Is it a bad sign…? Should we make sure?"

"A bad sign? Maybe. But it wouldn't hurt to recap things we've gone through," her guardian suggested, "Since you're the one in this mess, let's go over your memories first, just to be on the safe side."

As far as Luna is concerned, it didn't hurt to do that; perhaps at least once in a while, just to make sure she doesn't end up with a complete blank in her head. The last thing she wanted was to have a blank slate inside her mind. A refresher wouldn't hurt just to check on what she still remembers and what she hasn't forgotten so far. Though, since this is a personal matter, it'd be best to wait on talking with Sora about it until they're certain on how much of their memories are affected by the castle.

"Alright…Where do we start?" Luna asked.

Medea thought about it a moment. "Let's see…let's start with your past family. That should be easy to remember, I'd think." She turned to Luna. "Alright, Luna. First question: Do you remember who your brother is?"

Using the cue from her guardian, Luna carefully thought over the people she had once viewed as her surrogate family and pieced together what she knew from her early past until she could start making out faces that should be recognizable to her. At the mention of her brother, she can remember the dark blue eyes and brown hair that spiked in a few places…she thought about what he looked like…she only thought about the brother she knew and loved as a child. Finally, she could see who it is, and a name crossed her mind.

"My brother was named Terra," Luna answered, "He was my big brother…my actual brother."

Medea nodded in approval. "So far, so good. Second question: do you remember who the hyper blond boy was?"

Luna thought about it again, but her mind processed the information a lot faster and quickly pieced together the face of a boy younger than her brother: blond hair and blue eyes, energetic, kind-hearted…he was a free spirit who didn't want to be tied down. When Terra wasn't around, he looked after her like he is the older brother.

"The blond boy is Ventus," Luna replied, "He was like a second brother. He was always fun to be around."

"Not bad, not bad," Medea approved, "Third question: who is the woman in blue?"

That one was easy for Luna. Who else wore a lot of shades of blue on her? She could just picture that lady, beautiful and strong, kind and caring yet fierce when she needs to. Adding in the different shades of blue from her hair to her eyes, she started to identify the things she once knew. Piecing together the full picture, she remembered who that is.

"That's Aqua," Luna answered correctly, "She's the lady who looks after me like a sister…or a mama if I did something naughty."

"Wow, you're on a roll, hon," Medea said, amazed. "Alright, last question: who's the old man with the funky hair?"

At first, Luna tried to picture someone who had the first description her Guardian could give to her, trying to recall who the last person she knew before is. But as she tried to pull the image of that person from the depths of her memory, she quickly began to realize that something is not right: she can't visually see who it is that is just as important to her as the other three were! She couldn't fully see who the man in white is, nor could she make out what his face is like. Uh-oh. Does this mean that…?

She had to keep trying to remember, she had to. But no matter what she tried, she can't get a clear image. And the name of that man…what was it? It didn't look good to her…

Medea quickly noticed this and asked, "You're having trouble on the last one?"

Luna frowned in worry. "Medea…I can't clearly remember who the elder man you mentioned was. I think…his name started with an 'E', and he wore white. But…I can't remember everything about him…"

That made the guardian dread what that meant. "Oh, no… Even you're not immune to this place, huh? I guess you're starting to lose your memories, too."

"I don't like this. I don't even want to think about what else I'm forgetting," Luna whimpered, "I don't want to forget the people I knew from years before…"

"Look, just keep it together, girl!" Medea interrupted bluntly, "We don't know what else is going on here, and we've already got enough problems with our memories as it is. Let's just keep going, play it cool, and we'll do more recaps later. Alright?"

Luna nodded. "Okay, Medea…Until the next recap."

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in the upper rooms of Castle Oblivion, Axel and a blond-haired woman were having a one-on-one discussion about the two individuals that just arrived at the castle. Obviously, the latter had just noticed that there was something running through the redhead's mind after his first confrontation with Sora and Luna, the new visitors who had come from who knows where they did.

"You seem pretty intrigued by this Sora kid," she commented.

"Are you telling me you're not, Larxene?" he retorted.

Larxene chuckled at the response. "Haven't decided yet…What intrigues me more is what you see in him."

"There was a time when he became a Heartless," Axel replied, "And if one becomes a Heartless –"

"They lose their minds and their feelings," Larxene finished, "They're consumed by the darkness."

"Right. But not Sora," Axel added, "He held on to his feelings, even after he became a Heartless. And there's only one other man who's been able to do just that."

Her brows furrowed, putting two and two together at what he meant.

"It's the strength of his heart…That's what interests you. Why the Keyblade chose Sora's heart," She deduced with a smirk.

His eyes shifted a moment, but he kept a straight face. "To unlock the secrets of the heart…Isn't that the Organization's mission?"

Larxene chuckled maliciously. "Good question. So here's one of mine: of what significance is this 'Shadow Mage' often mentioned?"

Axel's eyes narrowed, hiding something on his mind. "Now **_that_** is a good question…"

* * *

"Hey, I wonder if there's anything we've forgotten…" Donald suddenly questioned.

Everyone stopped as Goofy thought about it for a moment, wondering what could be bothering their feathered friend right about now.

"Hmm… If we did, what would it have been?" Goofy asked.

A momentary silence filled up the room as they contemplated what else they might've forgotten on their way up the castle, but nothing insignificant seemed to cross their minds.

Then, Goofy spoke again. "I can't think of anything, so maybe that means I am really losing my memories." Donald was about to worry, when Goofy continued. "But whatever they were, they couldn't have been very important memories, right?"

"Right, or else I don't think you would've forgotten it," Sora agreed, shuffling through his pocket and pulling out the seashell charm. "Look."

"What is it?" Donald asked.

"A good luck charm Kairi gave me," Sora explained to them. "It's special to her, and I promised that I would return it. I'll never forget making that promise. It's why I could never forget Kairi."

"I know that feeling, although differently. Like…" Luna held her hand to the moonstone brooch clasped to her blouse and held it delicately. "…this brooch, right here. It's important to me personally."

"How so?" Goofy asked her.

"What, isn't it obvious?" Medea questioned dully.

"This small bauble…it's the only thing I have left of my big brother," Luna told them, as painful as it is. "He made it for me, because he thought the stone he found would better suit me than any charm. I still wear it, because it's too precious for me to cast out…"

As Sora and Luna thought about their loved ones, each of them could see their respective person inside their minds. Sora could see the cheerful smile of Kairi as she stood playfully in front of him; Luna, on the other hand, could see the stoic but gentle face of her brother, nodding at her with a small but soft smile on his face.

But then, something out of place happened…

From behind Sora, the faint image of another girl appeared from behind him; but unlike Kairi, the girl was blonde and wore white. On Luna's part, she was startled when she caught a glimpse of a young man far off to her right side; the image was too blurry to make out, but she could barely see glimpses of black and green.

In the real world, Goofy, Donald and Medea noticed their partners behaving rather oddly as though both of them had seen a ghost. Sora was confused as to what was going on with himself, but Luna showed that she was quite frightened at something. But neither of them had a clue as to what's going on…or did they?

Sora spoke first, confused. "Do I know…that girl?"

"Hey, Sora. Where did you go?" Donald asked, uncertain.

"Sorry. Never mind," Sora shrugged off his confusion.

But Luna was still rattled as she asked her guardian, "Medea…why am I seeing black and green?"

"What brought that up? What'd ya see?" Medea asked, uneasy about where it's going.

Luna had no idea how to describe what she saw in her mind; one moment she was just fine seeing the memory of the Terra she once knew and loved, and the next something strange comes along and spooks her with the blurry figure of someone she's certain she doesn't know…or does she? She knows for sure that she doesn't know who the other person is since she can't see who it is, so why is she dwelling on this?

"I don't know…but I don't like it," Luna finally replied nervously, "I swear that figure is unfamiliar to me."

"Well, if you don't know whatever scared you, you don't know it," Medea said matter-of-factly, "Just roll with that logic until you can sort it out later. Besides, we still have to check your other memories, don't we?"

Luna simply nodded in agreement, if only to put her Guardian's worries to rest for the time being. Despite this, she still felt unnerved that something appeared to be invading her memory like a parasite. Just what is happening to her, and to Sora for that matter?


	9. Chapter 8: Wonderland - Sora

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **If this chapter was shorter than you're hoping for, then I apologize in advance. Besides, I thought Wonderland was already annoying enough with the Queen of Hearts and her pathetic cards. I just wasn't in the mood to write down any indications of Heartless except for the boss.**

 **But at least Medea got another shot at flipping off the queen, like I would've loved to do if I ever met her face-to-face.**

 **All the same, I hope you'll still find it entertaining. So, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To iwaskitten: I'm glad to know you've been enjoying my KH stories so far. I'll do my best to keep posting, but since I'm shifting between Sora and Riku's parties, progress will get slow at some points.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Floor 4; Wonderland, Sora

After the melodrama and the confusion of screwy memories being lost or jumbled, the party started to proceed to the next door waiting to be unlocked through the power of the cards. But at the moment, that's not the important thing lingering in Sora and Luna's minds; after that little freak-out they had on those memory figments, they couldn't help but question what was going on with their heads. Sora couldn't help wondering who that strange blonde girl is, while Luna had too many questions about the figure in black and green she couldn't identify clearly.

But then Sora stopped as he pondered who the girl he saw was. "Who could that have been before in my memory? It wasn't Kairi… But another…girl? Maybe… I think her name was…"

"Sora! Let's go!" Donald interrupted his train of thought. "You want to find Riku and the king, don't you?"

"Um, sure," Sora replied, but he still felt distracted. "Man. It was right on the tip of my tongue…"

As they kept moving along, he quickly noticed that Luna had a petrified dread on her face that hasn't let up since the incident on the previous floor. Worried that something is bothering her, he thought to make sure she's okay first before asking her about her memories.

"Hey, Luna, did something happen to you?" he asked carefully.

Upon hearing him talking, Luna snapped out of her shocked trance and turned her attention to him.

"I…I don't know. But I…" Luna stuttered nervously. "Oh, goodness…how do I explain it?"

"Are you remembering something, too?" Sora asked her, "Or did you forget something?"

She took a breath before answering, "I thought I saw…someone…in my memory. It was hard to tell…but…he looked like my big brother, except… Oh, I don't know. I couldn't clearly make out who it is."

"Oh. Well…maybe the unknown lookalike was somebody you never knew about," Sora tried to guess, if only to try and ease her doubts. "I mean, there might be some people who have the same face as anybody you know before, right? Perhaps the person you're seeing is a relative you never learned about, or he might be a friend of someone you know." When he noticed her confusion, he stopped right there on his theories. "But I'm only guessing. We probably won't know until we find out more about that guy. Maybe this guy might shed some light on who he is."

"I hope so…" Luna agreed, albeit hesitantly, "I mean, I don't want to be lied to after coming all the way here."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the white room she is kept in, the girl began to put more color into her drawings and create a picture of the people she had in mind to bring to life. In the picture, the boy in red is joined together with a girl with red hair, a girl in white, a girl in blue and a boy in yellow and blue side by side. How joyful they all appeared to be in that masterpiece!

But even as she gave life into the drawing, her hand couldn't help trembling a bit whenever her colored pencils worked around the image of the girl in blue. That nagging worry and doubt lingering in her wouldn't let up.

For a moment, she stopped, her thoughts wandering off toward something she recalled hearing about: a 'special operative', or so she heard, was sent out to track down and lure the girl in blue to them. But for what reason is there to chase her down? What did she do to get the attention of those people in the black coats? She didn't have the slightest idea, except that she heard the girl is far different from the Keyblade wielder, and that their leader insisted on having her brought to him personally once she's been located.

She sighed sadly as she turned back to the drawing, trying to distract her worries with her current work. But still, she knew that she had to be careful. She doesn't want them to realize that progress has gotten a lot slower with the girl in blue. But she had good reason for it, and she didn't want to confess what it is…

* * *

Back with Sora and Luna's party, they reached the top of the stairs leading into the next hallway where another door is waiting for them. Donald and Goofy were about to head right up to the door and ask about what world to enter through next when suddenly…

"I remember!"

Sora's sudden outburst surprised everyone; so much so that even Luna's Shadow Guardian emerged instinctively from her master's shadow just to find out what is going on now.

"You say something?" Medea asked.

"Is something the matter, Sora?" Luna queried.

"There was another girl!" Sora exclaimed.

Hilariously, Donald and Goofy started looking around the place as though to find something hiding in plain sight.

"What? A girl? Where?" Goofy asked excitedly.

"No, no, I mean on the islands where I used to live," Sora clarified, "Besides Kairi and Riku and Luna, there was one other girl I was friends with. The five of us played together all the time."

Jiminy, upon hearing this, grew curious. "Sora…Seems to me that's the first time you've mentioned her."

"Yeah…I guess I forgot about her," Sora agreed. "I think…she just suddenly went away when I was still little."

Medea, however, didn't feel convinced. "Are you sure you're not pulling our legs here?"

"What do you think made you remember that now?" Donald asked, suspicion in his voice.

Sora shook his head. "I'm not sure. But it's been coming back in pieces as we go through the castle." He turned to Luna. "What about you, Luna? Have you remembered anything about that other girl yourself?"

At first, Luna had no idea what he was talking about – until she remembered him mentioning how he thought she started recalling about somebody different.

She thought it over as she replied, "I don't know. I remember being around Kairi and Riku on the islands, when I was recovering from my illness…" She paused as she started feeling something odd. "But…if there is another girl, I would've known about that."

"Oh, great. First, we're having memory problems, and now we're having this big shock about some chick we never heard of," Medea sighed in disbelief. "What's next? Are we gonna have a feud on whose memories are correct later on?"

"Gawrsh, do ya remember her name?" Goofy asked, ignorant of the guardian's skepticism.

Sora took a moment to think, but he got nothing. "I don't remember." He shook his head. "I feel kinda dumb. We said we weren't gonna forget our friends, and now…I can't even remember her name."

Luna shook her head. "Well, I don't remember either. And besides, I don't even know who that man in green is in my memory."

"What…?" Donald was about to ask her about it.

But Goofy interrupted. "Aw, you shouldn't be worryin', none! If it's been coming back to you in pieces, you're sure to remember her name just like everythin' else!"

It seemed to give Sora and Luna some comfort, considering how things have gotten a lot weirder ever since they made progress through the castle. However, while the boys felt a bit better about continuing their course through the castle after the twist of developments, the girls didn't feel too sure about the new memories after everything they've confided to one another.

But for now, they opted to put those uncertain thoughts aside and press on to the next world before they try and piece together what's going with their memories this time around. This time, they decided to explore the world that seemed to be something that a person would conjure up during a drug trip…

* * *

Not long after entering the new world, they found themselves in the middle of a giant field surrounded by huge blades of grass and mushrooms, with doors hanging around in places where you'd swear they shouldn't be and trees that have giant leaves hanging around like they just don't care. If anything, the field is so big that somebody who enters it this way could easily get lost in it like a maze they didn't even know existed.

But just as they were about to investigate the place, Goofy suddenly stopped to hear the sound of hasty footsteps coming close to them.

"Hey, somebody's comin'," Goofy warned them.

Immediately, everyone turned around, wondering what he was talking about. Then, in mere seconds, they spotted a white rabbit in a waistcoat running past them with a giant pocket watch in his hands. He appeared to be in so much distress that he didn't even notice the newcomers watching him sweating like bullets from unrelenting fear.

"I'm late! I'm late! I'm dreadfully, awfully late!" the rabbit panicked, "The queen will roast me for dinner! If I'm late for the trial, it'll be off with MY head next!"

Sora was horrified to hear this. "What do you mean 'off with your head'?!"

"Oh, my fur and whiskers! I'll never make it!" the rabbit exclaimed, ignoring the question.

Without another word from him, the rabbit rushed off in a hurry and disappeared into the grass to his destination…wherever that might be. But now they're more confused than ever as to what the rabbit's problem is, and what the deal is right now.

"Off with his HEAD?" Sora asked, not liking the wording.

"For such a peaceful-looking place, it sounds pretty dangerous!" Donald agreed, wide-eyed from shock.

"No kidding, duck!" Medea said in exasperation, "That white wimp was whining about a queen killin' him off!"

"Then we have to follow that rabbit and find out what the queen is doing," Luna suggested worriedly, "If she means harm, then we have to stop her."

"Then we'd better skedaddle after him," Goofy agreed.

* * *

Not wasting any time pondering over what the likely trouble might be, they made haste and followed the white rabbit's trail out of the forest of grass into a labyrinthine garden that lead them into what appeared to be an outdoor courtroom. Up atop the podium overseeing the court is a pudgy woman dressed in queenly robes like the ones seen in a card deck, and surrounding her is a number of guards that bore the numbers and symbols of a deck of cards. Down below is a young girl with blonde hair in a blue dress, positioned where the accused stand trial for whatever their charges might be against the judge (the 'judge' apparently being the queen herself). It seemed that the girl is forced to face the queen, but for reasons that don't seem to be pleasant in any way.

"Gawrsh, looks like some kind of get-together," Goofy said, "What's the occasion?"

But Donald quickly figured it out. "Hey, this must be the trial the White Rabbit was talking about!"

"More like an excuse to murder an innocent," Medea retorted snidely.

The rabbit, having arrived at the court in time, turned his attention to the girl. "Alice! Do you understand the charges against you?"

"Of course not!" Alice replied, upset at the question. "I've done nothing wrong!"

The Queen of Hearts scoffed harshly. "Feigning ignorance, dear? You are charged with aiding the creatures called Heartless who threaten my kingdom!"

But Alice was having none of it. "Fiddlesticks! Where's the evidence?"

The queen slammed her podium angrily. "The evidence is…I forgot! That's the evidence! Because you, Alice, are the one who stole my memory!"

"We can't rid the kingdom of Heartless until we get Her Majesty's memory back," the White Rabbit added. "That is a serious crime!"

"This is so unfair! So what if you're a queen!" Alice chewed out at the queen, "Don't blame me just because you can't remember things!"

The queen, hearing these accusations, began fuming with rage at the girl's defiance.

"Such insolence! You're talking to the Queen of Hearts!" she roared furiously, "And to think I might have let you go, had you apologized straightaway! What a brazen thief!"

"Who's the brazen one?" Sora called her out, having had enough of this nonsense.

"Not the poor girl, that's for sure!" Luna agreed, hurrying to help.

"Yeah, I've heard enough crap spewing from her mouth!" Medea growled, ready to beat someone up.

The queen was about to give out her 'verdict'. "The court has reached a verdict! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"

Sora, Luna and Medea immediately hurried to the defendant's podium and surrounded Alice as though to defend her from being seized by the guards. The queen was shocked to see them invading the courtroom just to stand in opposition to her.

"Hold it!" Sora shouted, fed up with the monarch. "This trial is a farce! You should investigate before you arrest innocent people!"

"And besides, how could a dimwit such as you know what the hell a Heartless is if you haven't seen them?" Medea called her out.

"How would Alice know how to use the Heartless?" Luna added angrily, "If anything, you seem more like someone who would use the creatures for the worst of reasons, especially with that uncontrolled temper of yours!"

Stunned and flustered to hear the accusations brought up against her, the queen fumbled in her speech before she could finally speak up against them.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded furiously, "How dare you suggest Alice didn't steal my memory. I suppose you know who the real culprit is, then!"

That's when Sora had a stumble. "Huh? I, er…"

"Speak! Or it's off with all of your heads!" the queen ordered loudly. "Now out with it! Who's the thief?"

As Sora tried to come up with an answer as to who the thief could possibly be, Medea had other plans and decided to do something rather impertinent that would shock everyone in the courtroom.

"Well, I've got an idea," Medea answered bluntly. She pointed her finger up towards the queen. "I'd bet YOU'RE the one who purposefully stole YOUR OWN memories!"

Everyone, including Alice, the White Rabbit, and the Queen of Hearts herself, jolted from shock from the Shadow Guardian's brazen accusations directed against the accuser herself! Sora was left dumbfounded at what he just heard, while Luna stood wide-eyed in disbelief at her guardian's dirty work.

"What'd ya say?" Donald asked, stunned.

"What? The queen might as well have done it herself," Medea replied defensively, "so that she can accuse whoever the hell she wants for committing the crime!"

"Uh-oh…" was all Goofy could say.

"This is screwy, Medea!" Donald exclaimed in fear.

After taking in the blunt accusations, the queen turned beet red with outrage.

"How dare you accuse me of stealing my own memory!" the queen yelled, "Cards! Seize them all!"

At once, under the queen's command, the card guards marched upon them to attempt to seize them at their queen's orders. However, despite their numbers, the cards proved to be much easier to knock away due to their rather fragile physicality (let's face it, they're just a pack of cards) and the fact that their weapons are anything but capable of hitting anything without going after one another. Not helping the enemy in the slightest is that Sora and Medea can be brutal fighters when the cards got close, and Luna knew how to use her Shadow Hands to keep them away from her when they got too close.

After taking out the trash, they got themselves a momentary breather when Donald suddenly noticed one crucial thing that isn't present in the midst of the chaos.

"Wak! Where's Alice?" he asked, baffled.

Goofy looked around. "Looks like she escaped."

"She must've narrowly slipped out while the guards were distracted," Luna guessed.

The queen was furious about this. "Perhaps she did. But YOU won't!"

Without warning, even more cards than normal arrived on the scene and surrounded them effortlessly, blocking them off from escaping. That meant only one thing for the heroes…

"I think we've been trumped!" Donald panicked.

"Seriously? That hag's playing an unfair hand!" Medea growled angrily.

But then, just when it seemed like things would get a lot worse for them, blasts of black orbs of fire rained down from the sky and bombarded the cards without giving them a second to realize what's going on. The Queen of Hearts started panicking, thinking that some unknown assassin is trying to get at her for her follies, forcing some of the guards to turn back and hurry to her aid while the rest scrambled for cover from the blasts.

Though they didn't have the slightest idea what's going on, Sora and Luna realized that they now have a window of opportunity to get as far away from the queen as possible before she even gets the chance to stop them.

"C'mon! Now's our chance to get outta here!" Sora called as he started running.

"But what's causing the…" Luna started to question the chaos.

"Never mind that, Luna! Let's get the hell away from that psycho queen!" Medea interrupted her.

Everyone hot-footed it out of the courtyard and fled into the forest of grass where the queen won't be able to give chase to them for a good while…

* * *

Once they managed to give themselves a good distance away from the queen's court, they stopped to catch their breaths only to find Alice there, surprised to see them alive and away from the queen's grasp. Apparently, she didn't know what had happened back there since she wanted to escape the unfair death sentence on herself.

"Things got a little crazy back there, but at least you're okay," Sora said, relieved.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful, but…was that true, what your friend said?" Alice asked him, "Did the queen really steal her own memories?"

"Oh, no, I don't think so," Luna assured her, "It's just that Medea doesn't answer to monarchs who don't behave themselves."

"Yeah, and besides, how could the queen steal her own memories?" Sora added.

"Uh-huh, we were trying to save –" Goofy started to explain.

"More like to bully a queen!" Donald interrupted, glaring at the guardian.

Medea huffed indignantly. "I'm not apologizing to that fat hag."

"Is that right? Well, you saved me all the same," Alice said, nonetheless glad about the rescue. "Thank you."

Then, when they least expected it, a goofy-looking pink cat with purple stripes appeared out of thin air, his face showing off a creepy perpetual grin on his face as he playfully placed his head back on his body. It was a freaky sight to behold, considering how everything in this world is already insane as it is.

Alice certainly knew who it is. "It's the Cheshire Cat!"

"Feeling better after that mad dash, aren't we? Oh, but you're not out of the woods yet!" the cat chuckled with glee, before disappearing and reappearing on another mushroom, "The queen's a stickler for justice! She won't forget you until she remembers! She won't stop hounding you till you get her memory back! Did she forget because she remembers? Does she remember that she forgot? Doesn't matter, I suppose."

Sora didn't feel too keen on staying around a psychopath. "I don't know – I think we oughta just stay away from her."

"But Sora, what about Alice? If the queen catches her again, it's off with – well, you know," Jiminy protested.

That unnerved him. "Then I guess we'd better do something about the queen."

"I agree. We should do something about her," Luna agreed wholly, "If we don't stop her unjust rampage, Medea will most likely want to off her head herself."

"I don't wanna be around to see that!" Donald squawked in horror.

"You should do something," the Cheshire Cat said, chilling on a tree branch. "But you don't have to do anything."

Luna and Sora felt confused. "Huh?"

"If you can't remember something, it's like it never happened," the cat continued, "Likewise, if nothing happened, then you can't remember it. Try too hard to remember and your memory might lie to you."

Sora felt more confused than ever. "Lie?"

"Is that really possible?" Luna wondered.

"That's all I have to say. The rest is for you to figure out," the Cheshire Cat replied vaguely.

With a vigorous laugh and a flick of his fluffy tail, the Cheshire Cat disappeared into thin air, leaving them to stand dumbfounded in the forest, confused as to what he was talking to them about regarding memories and how they can lie to whoever is trying to remember something.

"Why can't anybody talk straight in this damn place?" Medea asked irritably.

"I wonder what the cat was talking about," Luna pondered the cryptic words, "What did he mean when he said 'try too hard to remember and your memory might lie to you'? Is it something that could help us stop the queen?"

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. It could be anything. Wonderland's never gonna make sense if even a talking cat won't just outright tell us something useful."

"Maybe we'll figure it out once we find a place to hide out," Donald suggested, "and then figure out how we're gonna deal with the queen."

"Would we really be able to avoid her for long?" Alice asked.

"Nope, but it wouldn't hurt to have a plan," Goofy replied, agreeing to Donald's idea.

"Then let's keep moving, and hopefully find a place we can hide," Sora agreed, leading them through the forest in hopes of finding refuge…if only for a short while.

* * *

Their departure from the forest of grass led them into what appeared to be a giant-sized version of someone's house; as expected, the room has a bed for a good sleep, a clock to tell the time (if it worked), and a fireplace that hasn't been used yet. Whose house it is, they have no idea, but what they do know is that it is huge, and it might have some good places to hide if they ever thought about it. But right now, they're more perplexed as to what they're doing here as opposed to pondering whether they can slip away from the queen.

Goofy is the first to ask about it. "Gawrsh, what's with the sudden change of scenery?"

"Good question," Medea replied sarcastically.

"Let's look around!" Alice suggested, starting to walk ahead.

Luna suddenly grew worried. "Alice, I don't think that's a good –"

"Oh, dear!" Alice abruptly exclaimed, backing away in fright.

Sure enough, the answer to Alice's horror is revealed when they found themselves greeted by the pesky card soldiers and the Queen of Hearts herself! She looked so smug as she felt like she had finally succeeded in finding them.

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, did you?" the queen said smugly.

Sora paled at seeing her. "Uh-oh!"

"Game's up, you scoundrels! For stealing my memory, I sentence you…" the queen was about to make her verdict, but then she abruptly faltered. "I sentence you to…" She suddenly went stiff, and her angry face changed into a confused one. "I…sentence…"

Everyone looked at each other, and back at the queen, not understanding what's going on with the bloated tyrant as she kept pinching her forehead and force herself to pull her head together.

"What the hell's going on?" Medea questioned first, baffled at what's happening.

"Your Majesty?" Luna asked, slightly concerned. "Are you alright? Does your head hurt?"

The queen, lost and confounded, started looking around. "Oh? What's going on? Where am I?"

Now Donald is baffled. "Huh?"

"What in the world am I doing?" the queen demanded, "Confound it, I can't remember!"

"What's wrong with her?" Sora asked, not knowing what to do.

"Maybe somebody swiped her memories again?" Goofy wondered.

When Alice looked up to the ceiling, alarm crossed her face. "Sora, Luna, look out! Something's coming!"

When they followed her gaze, they spotted a tall, spindly black-and-red-colored Heartless with crooked limbs and legs that looked like it was rejected from a local circus, juggling burning sticks that flickered with searing flames. The sight of the fiend alone frightened off the queen and her guards as they searched for cover from the battlefield.

"Alice, you'd better hide, quick!" Luna ordered as she summoned her Shadow Hands.

"You know the drill, right? Don't fight fire with fire!" Medea reminded them, readying her claws.

"Well, I'm not making the same mistake twice!" Donald promised bravely.

As Alice fled for cover from the fight, the party took the fight to the Trickmaster head-on. Fortunately for them, those who had the capability to use magic made absolutely sure that the tricky Heartless wouldn't even try to make more fire on their watch, especially since Donald opted not to use any Fire spells without suffering the consequences of the first time he made that blunder. Sora and Luna helped out with their fair share of rounds with Blizzard spells at every opportunity before shifting to helping Goofy and Medea on the offensive routes.

However, the one problem they had was how they can reach the head without having to force it to get down on its knees all the time. They just wanted to get this fight over with so that they can get the nasty queen off their backs.

"Don't we have something that can bring it to our level?" Sora asked Luna at the first chance.

"I wish I did, but I don't have anything that can help with it," Luna replied, feeling tired from playing around.

Just as they had that talk, they heard the sound of something dropping onto the floor nearby them. They turned around to find another card drop down to them, much like the one they were miraculously given when they had trouble dealing with Jafar back in Agrabah. Now why did their miracle show up right now?  
"Another one…? I don't get it," Luna said, baffled.

"Let's just hope this works," Sora said simply as he held the card up.

Instead of messing with the whole environment, though, the card let out its power and created a chair and a table in the middle of the room – at the right level needed to reach for the Trickmaster's head!

"Somebody loves us today," Sora joked as he hurried up the chair.

Donald, noticing this unexpected change, gawked in surprise. "What was that?! Where'd the table come from?"

"I don't know, but Sora's using it," Luna confessed quickly, "Let's finish the job so we can leave this place!"

"My thoughts exactly, Luna!" Medea agreed.

"Then we'd better skedaddle," Goofy agreed, his shield ready.

Using the table to their advantage, Sora diverted the attention of the Trickmaster long enough to allow Luna to use her Shadow Hands and trap it in one place; then, while Goofy and Medea beat the monster down to size, Sora and Donald bombarded the fiend with multiple Blizzard spells until it couldn't handle the pressure and exploded into dark balls of energy.

Once the coast was clear, Alice emerged from her hiding spot and stood near Sora and Luna as the queen cautiously returned to where she stood, still looking around in her confused state. Now then, how were they going to explain themselves to the bratty monarch…?

"You there! All of you!" she demanded to them, "What is the meaning of this? Where did that creature come from?"

"How would WE know?" Sora replied impatiently.

"Sora!" Luna scolded. "That's not a good answer!"

"So, you refuse to answer? You're hiding something!" the queen huffed angrily before turning to her guards, "They're plotting against me! Seize them immediately!"

But just before the guards could make their advance against the 'plotters', Alice quickly stepped in with a surprising response.

"Please, Your Majesty, wait!" Alice called out, "It was you who commanded us to destroy those creatures."

Sora turned to her, dumbfounded. "Huh?"

"Ssh! I wanna hear this," Medea hushed him, eager to watch the show.

"Your Majesty, in her prudence, didn't completely trust us at first," Alice continued to appeal to the queen, "And so, at Your Majesty's command, we fought them to prove ourselves. Isn't that right, Sora, Luna?"

"We did?" Sora questioned, but then changed his answer. "I mean, we did! Your, um, Majesty."

"Oh, yes, there's no doubt about it," Luna agreed quickly, "After all, your kingdom was in grave danger and you didn't know who you could trust when dealing with intruders these days."

The Queen of Hearts, stunned, stuttered, "I…told you…to do that?"

"But, Your Majesty, don't you remember?" Alice insisted.

The queen snapped out of her daze with an arrogant huff. "Don't be ridiculous! I never forget anything! Of course I gave the command. You did splendidly."

With a sharp turn, she marched her way out of the giant room with her guards without another word, obviously pleased with what she supposedly did in the first place. This allowed everyone to finally get a catharsis after having to play fugitives; especially Alice, since she is now freed from her unwarranted accusations.

"That was close," Alice sighed in relief.

"Way to improvise! I never would've thought of that," Sora admitted.

"But the Cheshire Cat said as much. 'Try too hard to remember, and your memory might lie to you'," Alice said with a knowing look in her eyes. "The queen would never admit she forgot. So, instead she remembered something…that didn't happen! She ended up fooling herself."

Medea burst out laughing at that. "Oh, my Kingdom Hearts, you actually pulled a fast one on that bratty tyrant, didn't you? Nice one, girl! Real nice!"

"But the good news is, you'll be safe for now," Luna said reassuringly.

"And the queen won't give us any more trouble," Goofy agreed jovially, "After all, we got rid of the Heartless, just like she commanded!"

Donald's feathers got ruffled form shock. "Don't tell you were fooled, too!"

Sora laughed at that. "Nah, he's probably just playing with ya, Donald."

* * *

After getting a good laugh out of the trickery they pulled on the Queen of Hearts and bidding Alice farewell since they had to keep on going, they made their leave from Wonderland and returned once more into the familiar white territory they've been repeatedly going through. Only they're quite certain they've gotten higher than usual.

However, not long after leaving the world, something abnormal stopped them in their tracks. Not long after coming out, the boys were immediately on edge, much to the confusion of Luna and Medea. Was there someone in the room, waiting for them to fall into another trap, or was it something else?

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Donald said, shaking in his webbed feet.

"What, is it another one of those jackasses?" Medea questioned tensely.

Sora searched around the room intently, trying to find the anomaly. "Alright, whoever you are, come out and show yourself!"

"Sora, what is it?" Luna asked nervously.

"Is somebody watching us?" Goofy wondered as he looked around.

"If it's you, Axel, then you'd better come out or I'll throw a Blizzard at ya!" Donald threatened.

"Alright, alright, just calm down. I promise you, I mean no harm."

The instant Luna and Medea heard that eerily familiar voice, both of them could've sworn that they were almost hearing the voice of Terra. But there was something…different about it…almost a bit softer yet still rough on the edges.

But then, from behind one of the columns of the hallway, everyone watched as a young man stepped out from the shadows, hands held at the level of his eyes like he was trying to indicate a harmless position.

The young man present before them stood a lot taller than Sora with a solid build, his hair spiked around the edges much like Terra's once did, except his hair is black; his eyes are brown and his skin was a bit paler than Sora's. He wore a black, glossy turtleneck top with pine-green pants held by several belt straps, long strapped leather boots, leather gauntlets protecting his arms, and adorned with a crystal moon-shape pendent kept in a chain around his neck. On his person, he carried a broadsword almost the size of Terra's keyblade.

Sora, not knowing what to make of this, asked him, "Who are you supposed to be?"

The young man looked at him like it was a dumb question. "I thought you would've known about that, Sora. Or were you the only one kept in the dark about it?"

Luna, still confused about the situation, slowly approached as she asked, "Are you…are you that person Axel mentioned about when Medea and I last spoke with him?"

When Luna approached him, it's noticed that his mood seemed to shift from cautious to joy as soon as he saw her face-to-face. Before anybody knew it, he abruptly pulled her close and held her tightly like he had found a lost treasure he sorely missed. In the process, the boys – especially Sora – went slack-jawed at the sight just as Medea immediately started to growl like an overprotective guard dog, waiting to pounce if this stranger went too far.

"Luna! You're alive!" he exclaimed with great relief, "I thought I'd lost you for real. Where've you been all these years?"

Shocked and confused at what she was hearing, Luna fought out of the young man's embrace and backed up to her Shadow Guardian as she doesn't trust him.

"I don't understand. I don't even know who you are," Luna protested.

The young man sighed in disbelief at her. "You mean you don't remember me? I'm Nero…your brother."

An eerie silence filled the room as everyone struggled to process what they just heard coming out of this man's mouth. But on Luna's part, there was only word that she could barely spill out of her mouth as she realized what he had just called himself.

"…What?"


	10. Chapter 9: Valuable Data

**Before we get further with the shock bomb I left in the last chapter, let's get a little more out of Riku's business, shall we?**

 **Though, if I know some of my dear reviewers, you're probably just waiting in your seats for the bomb to drop on the secrets of Riku's peculiar traveling companion. All I can say to you all is: Patience, Iago. Patience. (I love that villain quote, btw)**

 **I want to see who's gonna be either asking questions like "WTH" or making a guess on what might happen next.**

 **I guess I just love to throw a wrench into the expectations.**

 **Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To Zweig: Just noticed your message. You certainly surprised me with your suggestions on Disney worlds. Would you be kind as to give explanations for why you wants one of the worlds you've offered to get into the next fic? Don't be shy about giving me any reason: because of the story, the characters, because it needs more attention, or anything petty. I've open ears.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Valuable Data

In the lower part of Castle Oblivion, Riku and Noir had just finished up with the world they'd gone through and returned to the white halls once again. They had just wrapped up their trek through the desert city of Agrabah and dispatched a particularly annoying vizier who clearly doesn't know how to keep his ambitions in check, and look where that landed him – confined in a lamp where all genies go when they become granters of wishes. But at least it gave Riku some catharsis that he won't have to be around a cretin like that spindly rat.

"The only thing I have to question is how people can even handle that much sand," Noir fussed a bit as she shook her skirt to get lingering sand off the hems.

"Good question," Riku replied, "It makes the sands on the island feel more pleasant in comparison."

It gave Noir some thought. "I'm sure it must be relaxing. It makes wonder how long it's been since I've last walked on an island…"

"Maybe you'll get your chance once we leave this place," he offered.

He wasn't quite sure why he would bring that up to her, but Riku had reason to believe that she might've been as sheltered as Luna was when he first met her. He certainly remembered the first time he had met Luna when she was looking around the island like she's never seen it in her entire life. He had assumed before that she must've been coddled by whoever her caretakers were, but when she told who she is and showed what she can do; he had a feeling that there was something different about her. If anything, he's getting a somewhat similar vibe coming from Noir, as she tends to ask questions on matters she wasn't in the know about.

As they started to proceed to the next floor, the both of them stopped to see a dark aura form and reveal a new visitor. Thankfully, it wasn't Ansem. But there was someone completely different to greet them without warning. But who is the blond, elder-looking man meeting them in person?

"I take it you're Riku," Vexen deduced. "And I see that you brought along a friend."

Riku grew tense at him. "Are you with Ansem?"

"You are half correct. Let us say that he is not the Ansem with which you are familiar," the blond replied matter-of-factly. "He is Ansem and he is not Ansem. Perhaps a 'Nobody' best conveys the idea."

Noir couldn't help noticing the tone she was hearing. "Who talks like this…?"

Riku was not in the mood for games. "Riddles were never my thing. Try again."

"He belongs to neither the light nor the dark but walks the twilight between," Vexen clarified.

It didn't take long for Riku to realize what had meant; Ansem, as he came to know, was heavily involved with the dark. If that's the case, then that means this whacko was referring to someone else involved with another alignment.

"Catching on now?" the creep asked knowingly, "Oh, yes, you also stand in between light and darkness. It appears we have much in common. I'm sure your companion would agree about that, wouldn't you think?"

Finally, a feeling of familiarity crossed Noir's mind as she figure out who she's talking to. Who else would speak with logic and science like this, even when others don't have the patience for such things?  
"What…? Even?" she questioned, recognizing who it is – or rather, was. "Or do you still go by that name?"

The blond man seemed fascinated by her surprise. "Ah, you actually recognized me after all these years. Then again, you seem to have hardly aged at all since I last saw you, haven't you, Lady Noir?" He then shifted the topic to what she was thinking. "And yes, you did once know me as Even. However, I go by Vexen nowadays after a little…incident nine years ago. But I'll spare you of the excessive details and let you know that I'm not the only one who got involved into these changes."

"I'd hate to think of what changes exactly," she replied with barely hidden suspicion.

"If I know you, you'll figure it out in record time," Vexen guessed. "Besides, wandering around in the dark and the light would've helped you know better about it, if what I've told him," he referred to Riku at that, "is any indication."

Riku seemed to know just what that lunatic was talking about; he had been through these situations before – dabbling into the darkness, and then almost losing himself to it only to be able to get out of there with the intent on getting back to the light that he missed. But there was something the mean said that also bothered him at the same time…and he has an idea on what it is he doesn't agree to.

"Maybe…Like you said, there really is darkness left inside of me," he partly agreed. But then he summoned his blade, ready to fight. "But so what? Darkness is my enemy! And so are you for reeking of that awful smell!"

Vexen was amused at this. "Oh ho! So it's a fight you want. Very good – I shall take you on!"

Noir shook her head with a sigh. "There's no way out of this, isn't there?"

"You don't have to fight," Riku told her.

"No. He knows something, and I want to find out what," she insisted, summoning her Dark Hands at her beckoning.

Even though it was a two-against-one fight, that didn't automatically mean that Vexen was an easy stroll through the park. If anything, given their opponent's choice of weapon (that being a shield, of all things) and the respective element he's using (which, suffice to say, is nothing better than ice), it was safe to say that he was making the fight give off the impression of trudging through deep snow and having to watch their step on the slippery areas – quite literally, in fact.

Riku had a bit of a harder time getting anywhere near Vexen because of that long blue shield of his blocking the attacks coming at him. Not helping things in the slightest is the moments where he would pull a jerk move and summon a pillar of ice right from under his feet. Then again, considering how this man doesn't seem to be the type to just get up close and dirty with his powers, it stands to reason that he wanted to hang back and just keep his younger opponent away from him as much as possible.

Noir, on the flipside of it, had a slight advantage in this fight since she was able to use her Dark Hands to not only keep the icicles from sneak-attacking Riku, but she also made use of the Hands to keep Vexen on his toes at all times since she can summon her conjurations from almost anywhere she requires them. Her Shadow Guardian, Tenebrae, was also helpful when Vexen occasionally busted out his Diamond Dust spell to try and freeze Riku, but her feathered cloak protected him from the dangerous flurry of ice shards that came from it until he could go in for an opportune strike.

However, just as Riku landed another hit against the annoying shield, Vexen let out a suspiciously amused laugh that baffled the both of them.

"I find coursing through you, there is a darkness of formidable power growing!" he said excitedly to Riku. Then he said something else, too. "And lo and behold, I've seen the potency of the Shadow Mage for the first time! Well worth the trouble of aggravating both of you. All this excitement has provided me with invaluable data."

Riku was shocked to hear this. "What?!"

Even Noir was in disbelief. "You tricked us!"

When the both of them were forced back, Vexen just gave them a smug farewell wave as he took his leave.

"Many thanks, Riku! You, too, my lady," Vexen said as he vanished from sight.

Neither of them had the faintest idea what that creep meant to obtain from them personally, but they felt stung at the fact that they had been provoked into fighting him just so he could learn something from them.

"It was a trick all along," Riku sighed in frustration.

"What I don't understand is why he would want to collect data from us," Noir said, her suspicion apparent. "He hardly knows you, for one thing. And it doesn't help that he saw what I could do in battle…"

At the very least, he understood where she's coming from, to an extent. It's almost like your personal affairs are being pried open by unwanted eyes and then brought out into the open for someone to see. However, at the moment, they have no idea what that creep intends to do with the information he gathered from them.

"By the way, did you know that guy by any chance?" Riku asked her out of curiosity, "He spoke to you like some respectable figure, even calling you Lady Noir. Did you know him before?"

Noir quickly caught on what he meant. "Oh…that. Yes, I did know him once upon a time, along with a couple of others. That man we just fought was once called Even, a scientist who worked under the ruler of what was once a beautiful kingdom – that one now called Hollow Bastion by others these days, I'm sure. The others were Aeleus and Dilan, the castle guards. And the leader of the land…" She abruptly paused. "He was such a kind man, much kinder than other authority figures I've met in other worlds. It's a tragedy that I don't know what happened to him."

Though he had no idea who those people she mentioned are, he could understand how sensitive it is for her to discuss her personal affairs. Perhaps something troubling happened between them that he didn't know about, or did she have no idea what happened after the Heartless incident?

"Well, I guess that complicates things, doesn't it?" Riku said, "Ansem's not the only person we have to worry about. We've most likely got other parties wanting a piece of us."

Now that is something she had to agree on. "Probably… But I do hope that they don't give us more trouble than Ansem already did."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the unwilling experiment participants, Vexen returned to the dark room where Zexion is waiting alone for information. The latter could tell that the former is very pleased with what he had acquired, and grew curious as to what he would be willing to share with him. After all, he went to a lot of trouble to greet the newcomers personally, so wouldn't it be only fair to get at least his own share of the data gathered from their targets?

"Well, what did you find out?" Zexion asked, getting to the point.

"If you mean Riku, then rest assured I've acquired fascinating data that I could certainly make use of," Vexen replied, "But then there's the unknown other visitor you've wanted to know about, am I right? Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered that the other one I met is a familiar face I've known in the past."

Under the layers of bangs, Zexion couldn't help but raise a brow with curiosity. There's someone one of their own used to be acquainted with? That's something he doesn't hear about every day.

"So, who is it?" he asked, impatient for the answer.

Vexen had only one thing to say to him. "Lady Noir."

For the first time in who knows how long, the young man was baffled at what he just heard. It wasn't the name that confused him, but rather what the connection is. Is it someone that his older peers had known more about than him? Now he's more curious than usual as to what – or rather, who in this case – he's dealing with.

"That name doesn't sound familiar," he admitted, to his displeasure.

"I suppose that couldn't be helped, since you hadn't met her personally," Vexen replied knowingly, "Fortunately, the data I acquired on her should help give you an idea of how she functions if she is ever provoked into battle. But regarding the woman herself, I understand that she is one of the last remaining Shadow Mages in existence, the only known other one being her daughter. Sad to say, only a few of us have ever met her face-to-face and even then, she's kept much of herself a secret."

Now he's intrigued. "I see…Then that explains the similarities and differences between Luna and this Noir."

"Obviously, the Superior does not know about the mother right this moment," Vexen continued, "But with the data to compare between each other, it should make tracking and capturing Luna that much easier in the long run – assuming that Marluxia doesn't do any damage to her before we get the chance to detain her."

Zexion could tell how bitter Vexen is about Marluxia's current behavior; ever since getting the news that Sora and Luna have started to trek through the halls of Castle Oblivion, it seemed that the team upstairs have other agendas for the visitors traveling up above.

Really, it makes him mentally laugh at the absurdity of the situation. What was Marluxia thinking, trying to screw over Sora and Luna at the same time? It was one thing to go after a person who possesses a useful tool, but it's a different game when going after a girl with power over the shadows. Clearly Marluxia is severely underestimating what Luna is capable of. He and the other members have seen what the missing girl has been able to do years before, so they have at least a rough idea on how best to handle her. But that sociopathic schemer? He hasn't even scratched the surface on her potency if left to her own devices.

"So, then, I suppose you'll be wanting Noir's data for your use?" Vexen finally asked him, "In case someone decides to attempt to detain and subdue Luna?"

Zexion, eager at the prospect of it, held his hand out. "Let's see it. I'll be the judge on whether the data will be useful."


	11. Chapter 10: Monstro - Sora

**Hi, everyone!**

 **Lilith here, and sorry I took so long to get back. I've been distracted by writer's block, the twilight of summer, and the autumn season closing in. But I'm doing fine now.**

 **Anyways, for this chapter, I tried my best to let Sora get some more attention while leaving behind a few things to give you guys red flags (that is, if you can spot them well enough) about our new party member. But needless to say, I'm not going to spoil what it is. :p**

 **So, without further ado, I hope you guys like this chapter. Enjoy!**

 **To Guest: Funny you should say that...**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 10 – Floor 5; Monstro, Sora

Amidst the confusion coming from Luna and Medea's immediate suspicions, Sora couldn't help standing there shocked and speechless at the new stranger's admittance to where his relations linked to. He couldn't help wondering why his friend never spoke about her family all those years ago since release from the hospital back on the islands. Did something happen before that prevented her from ever talking about her birth family? And if so, does this Nero know anything about her past that nobody else does?

Nero happened to notice the confusion and answered, "I know this doesn't make any sense, and you're already dealing with enough problems in this dreary place. But I promise you that I'm telling you the truth."

"But then what brought you in Castle Oblivion?" Sora had to ask on a whim, "If you're who you're saying you are, then what are you doing here? Have you been kept here against your will by those guys in black?"

"I want to know about that, too," Medea agreed, glowering at him. "The fact that you're here feels way too convenient for us. Why don't ya give us one good reason why we shouldn't label you as an enemy right now?"

"I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," Nero replied like it's no big deal, "and that got me into a lot of trouble. And you can definitely thank those bullies in the black coats for that. It's thanks to them that I've been stuck here with no way out."

"Oh, so you were a prisoner!" Donald guessed.

Jiminy didn't feel too sure about it. "I dunno… If he's been trapped here, then how did he get away from them?"

"I'd like to know about that myself," Luna agreed in distrust. "Those guys we met before…they were dangerous people when we first met them. I don't think they're people we'd want to take lightly, much less think they'll be merciful on us just because we merely stumbled upon this place."

"Well, if it helps, I wasn't the only person trapped here," Nero assured them, "Besides me, I met a young girl here, and she's had it pretty rough ever since she was brought here by those guys. The only reason I was able to sneak out and find you all was because she asked me to go get help as soon as possible."

That instantly got Sora's attention. "Really?! Who was that girl you had met before we came along? Do you know her name?"

But he didn't sound interested in telling him outright. "If I told you, someone'll know I'm here, and we'll all be in trouble."

That bummed out Sora somewhat; ever since he started remembering about a blond-haired girl as they traversed up the stairs, he had been more than eager to remember more about her. He had hoped that by piecing together those memories about her, then it would help his friend with her memories so that they have more reason to keep moving through the castle.

Still, the idea of having extra help through the castle – and someone who claims to be related with Luna at that – in future preparation for what else might be ahead of them wouldn't be too easy to refuse. Maybe if he had the right means of persuasion, he might be able to find out more about her from Nero, and perhaps he might hear about what the two had gone through in the castle before he and Luna had arrived here. But for now, he's just gonna have to suck it up and deal with what's in front of him right now. Besides, he could tell from Luna and Medea's faces that they aren't too excited about having someone they believe they don't know tagging along with them without good reason to do so.

"In that case, then how about you come along with us?" Sora offered up to the newcomer, "If you join us, then maybe you can help us deal with those guys we met earlier if they bother us again. And maybe your being here might help Luna warm up to you a little more."

Medea wasn't too thrilled about it. "Hey, when did you decide to call the shots, kid? And besides, don't we have that rodent and Riku to look for?"

"Oh, yeah, we still have the King and Riku to worry about," Donald remembered.

"Yup, and we still haven't seen any sign of them yet," Goofy agreed.

"I want to find Riku at least. I'm worried about him," Luna seconded that.

Most of them didn't notice it, but when Riku's name is brought up aloud, something about it made Nero's eyes suddenly darken. But the two teens don't know about it, as their thoughts are more focused on the progression inside the castle and uncovering what is lurking inside the halls of Castle Oblivion.

"So, what do you say? You wanna come with us?" Sora asked.

Nero's tension vanished as he answered, "I'll be glad to if your companions are willing to put up with me."

Between the traveling parties, there was mixed feelings lingering about them regarding letting this peculiar young man accompany them. Sora and Goofy felt a lot more trusting about him, thinking that he might have some insight about the castle and he could help them prepare for the strangers in black coats should another one show up. Medea, Donald and Luna, on the flipside, have some serious reservations about this new face; Medea and Donald are especially suspicious as to what reason he has for wanting to tag along with them without explaining everything about himself, while Luna is unsure whether she should even place her trust in this man who insists he's related to her by blood. Jiminy is the only one who isn't certain whether to openly trust him or not, since he doesn't know what to make of the situation. So, what should the verdict be for allowing another traveling partner?

Finally, the duck made his choice. "Fine, we'll let him come with us. But if he does anything funny, I'm givin' him a taste of my magic!"

Nero held his hands up innocently. "Calm those feathers there. I won't do anything funny, promise."

"You'd better not! Because I'll let you know that my master doesn't tolerate being lied to in any way," Medea warned harshly.

"So, we've come to an agreement?" Sora asked.

"It would seem so. Though…I'm still nervous about this," Luna replied cautiously.

"Luna, I promise you that I won't give you or your friends any trouble while we're here," Nero promised her, "I want to get out of this castle as much as you guys do, and it'd be easier for all of us if I came along and helped out, if at all."

That seemed to settle any further problems from here on out, but that didn't mean everyone was pretty chill about the new changes. The only thing that could be done at this point to keep on going…and hope the new recruit doesn't give them any trouble along the way up the stairs through the castle.

* * *

When they reached the next door on the next floor to pass through, only two cards remained to be used to their knowledge. Now all that has to be done is to decide which world to enter next with the power of the cards.

"Only two more to go. Which world should we visit next?" Sora asked everyone.

"I dunno. You tell us," Donald replied.

Luna examined the cards Sora presented. "Well…it seems we have the choice of either a creepy whale, or a spooky town out of a scary story."

"What's so frightening about a whale?" Nero asked, "You make it sound like some kind of demon."

"Excuse me? Have you ever been INSIDE one?" Medea grilled him, "It smelled like dead fish and who the hell knows what else, its breath stank, and do I even need to mention its stomach at all? I don't even want to think about it!"

"Wow, Medea. You remembered something on your own," Goofy applauded her.

"I'm surprised you recall what it's like," Donald said, dully amazed at her memory.

"Okay, then. I guess we're going to the giant whale next," Sora decided, mistaking the conversation for a confirmation. "Unless somebody has any objections to it, we're going in."

"I don't have any objections," Nero replied.

"Wait, what?! When did we agree to that?" Donald demanded to know.

"It's not like we have too many other options on our hands, don't we?" Luna admitted reluctantly.

* * *

True to Medea's attention to detail from her memories, from the moment they stepped inside the innards of the beast itself, the squishy sounds of tissue could be felt below their feet, and the smell of something digested lingered into the air. It didn't help things in the slightest that there are some planks of broken wood from swallowed ships scattered all over the place, leaving behind unfortunate implications that nobody has ever survived the insides of a sea creature of such caliber. They don't know what to expect from this place, considering the infamous reputation of where they are.

"What a weird place! Everything's kinda springy and soft," Sora wondered.

"Nice and warm, too," Goofy agreed, "I'm startin' to feel like a nap."

"Don't even think about it, unless you wanna let yourself get digested while you do," Medea warned.

"I think you should be a little more worried."

Startled, Donald called out, "Who's there?!"

At the duck's demand to know who spoke to them, a small boy peeked out from behind a corner to meet them. Young-looking as he appeared to be, it was easy to tell from his odd joints and his wooden stature that he's once been a hand-crafted puppet – except he doesn't have any strings attached to him whatsoever.

"You're in the belly of Monstro the Whale," the boy informed them.

Jiminy quickly recognized the voice of the child. "Why, I know that voice… Pinocchio? Pinoke, it's you! Come on out!"

Pinocchio, upon recognizing the cricket, exclaimed joyfully, "Is that you, Jiminy? Gosh, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Gee, there's no way you'd never find me again," Jiminy replied, "I'm your conscience. And your conscience will always be your guide. Remember?"

"Sure, Jiminy. And I've been a good boy, promise," Pinocchio agreed, "I didn't tell a single lie."

Just as he said that, though, a small spark of magic occurred, in which his nose suddenly grew a few inches. This almost startled everyone in the area, except for Jiminy who suspected that this would happen sometime.

"What was he saying again?" Nero asked, hiding his sarcasm.

"Don't be too hard on him. He's only a child," Luna requested.

"Uh-oh!" the puppet exclaimed in horror.

Jiminy slapped his face in dismay. "Well, for Pete's sake!"

"Oops!" Pinocchio said in embarrassment, "But…how did you end up inside Monstro, anyway?"

"We, uh, sort of used a special way…" Sora struggled to explain.

"It's so special, we don't know how we did it!" Goofy added.

Pinocchio felt disappointed about it. "That's too bad… I was hoping you could help me and Father get out of here."

"Well, I'll be! Geppetto's here, too?" Jiminy asked in surprise.

"Sure he is. Follow me!" Pinocchio replied eagerly, hurrying ahead of them.

"Oh! Oh, Pinocchio, wait! It might be dangerous!" Luna called out, hoping to keep up with the boy.

"C'mon, we'd better follow him," Sora agreed, "make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble after this."

Keeping up with a child is one thing, but when the Heartless came along to screw things over, at least Sora and Luna went out of their way to protect Pinocchio while their friends kept vigil from behind, if mostly to make sure nothing tries to sneak past them – or tries to get close to Sora or Luna, for that matter. Thankfully, at least Pinocchio was smart enough to get out of the way when the bigger baddies arrived on the scene, and knew to hide himself someplace safe.

Following the boy led them into the mouth section of the whale, where they found a whole bunch of wrecked ships silently floating in the suspicious-looking water. Within one of the ships, though, they can make out that there's someone living aboard one of the shipwrecks, apparently trying to eke out what the giant mammal's innards could be offered to little avail. The elderly man hanging around the ship had to be Geppetto, Pinocchio's father.

"Well, at least we found the old man," Medea commented.

"Geppetto!" Jiminy called out.

When Geppetto heard the familiar voice, his attention shifted to where it came from and was surprised to find a familiar face along with some new ones by the wreckage.

"Bless my soul, it's Jiminy Cricket," he said with relief, "How in the world did you get here?"

"You tell me! How does a clockmaker wind up in the belly of a whale?" Jiminy asked.

"Well, it's a long story…" the clockmaker sighed.

From there, Geppetto explained to them how he had created a boy puppet and how he came to life; but when he told about how he had realized that Pinocchio didn't come home as he was supposed to, he went out to find his son himself – only to get caught in the middle of Monstro's feeding time and ended up swallowed by the gigantic whale itself! After that, Pinocchio found himself inside the whale as well, and they've been trapped in there ever since then. Now they have idea how they're going to find a way out, not with the whale uninterested in finding something new to munch on.

"So you sailed out to look for Pinocchio…" Donald started to understand the matter.

"…And Monstro swallowed you!" Goofy finished the sentence.

"That's just horrible! You and your son didn't deserve to end up in a terrible place like a whale's belly," Luna said, horrified at the tragedy.

"Yes, but I found my son," Geppetto reassured them, "I would do anything for my Pinocchio."

"But now you can't get out, can you?" Sora guessed. "Being stuck in the belly of a whale is awful, like Luna said."

"Not if Pinocchio and I are together," Geppetto replied optimistically, "That makes everything a little better. There's nothing better than being reunited with those you care about."

"Yeah…I know what you mean," Sora agreed.

"I would know about that myself, since I finally found my sister," Nero added.

"I don't care if I'm trapped here, so long as I have Pinocchio," Geppetto continued, "He's such a good boy."

"Call me a pessimist, but I have my doubts on the last part," Medea said skeptically.

"Well, he still tells fibs. But with a little help from me…" Jiminy admitted.

The clockmaker chuckled a bit. "Oh, Jiminy, you worry too much."

But then, a little thought crossed Sora's mind as he had the niggling feeling something was a little off. Considering how they were talking about Pinocchio, he just had one question: where is he? When he turned around, his suspicions were confirmed since he didn't see the wooden boy anywhere with them not long after arriving at the mouth.

"Speaking of Pinocchio… Where is he?" he asked.

Baffled, Donald and Goofy looked around to find that they don't see the puppet within the area, like he just vanished into thin air.

"He was here a minute ago. Where did he go now?" Donald asked in worry.

Medea groaned in frustration. "You cannot be serious right now! You look away for one minute, and already he's wandering off!"

"I expect he's off exploring," Geppetto had reason to believe. "That boy has been poking around just about everywhere inside this monster. He won't tell me why it's so important. I tell him it's dangerous, but he won't listen."

Somehow, Jiminy had a bad feeling about it. "That boy's a handful! Sora, Luna, if you don't mind…"

"I know, I know. You want us to help find him, right?" Sora saw it coming. "C'mon, guys, let's keep going!"

"We'd better hurry if we're going to find Pinocchio," Luna agreed worriedly, "It'd break my heart if anything terrible happened to the poor boy."

"Yeah!" Donald and Goofy agreed on it.

"Somehow I have to wonder how his father puts up with all this," Nero said in disbelief.

Leaving behind the partial safety of the shipwrecks behind them, the party wasted no time hurrying away from the mouth to search for the missing child – all the while cautiously hoping that nothing serious has happened to the boy while they weren't looking.

As they searched through the bowels of the whale, the party had to watch their step as the surface of the innards is no cakewalk to navigate across. And it really didn't help things in the slightest with the bouts of Heartless popping up every few moments just to harass them in the middle of their search. But at the very least the surface their walking isn't slippery, otherwise that would've made trekking through a lot worse than it already was.

* * *

Their search for Pinocchio eventually led them into Monstro's stomach, which is strongly evident by the green liquid that might as well be acidic given the bubbles surfacing every few seconds and the awful stench of something once been digested however long ago it was. At least they found the boy safe on the platform, much like they are right now.

When Pinocchio saw them coming, he was surprised to see them. But Jiminy certainly had something to say about what he was doing on his own.

"Pinocchio! What are you thinking?!" Jiminy exclaimed with worry. "You know Geppetto worries when you wander off by yourself."  
"Jiminy was worried, too," Donald added.

"I'm sorry…" Pinocchio apologized, ashamed.

"Don't take it the wrong way. It's just that we don't want you to get hurt, that's all," Luna promised the boy as she knelt to comfort him.

"What are you doing anyway? Are you looking for something?" Sora asked him.

Pinocchio hesitated before he answered, "Um…yeah, I was looking for treasure!"

Not long after he said that, his already longer nose suddenly grew longer than usual, which hinted that he wasn't being honest with himself as he was supposed to be.

Medea frowned at the boy. "Any more lies you wanna tell us, kid?"

"Here we go again!" Jiminy sighed in displeasure.

"But Jiminy…" the boy protested.

Then, Goofy came to his defense. "Now, don't be so hard on the little fella, Jiminy." He looked to the boy. "We promise not to get mad, Pinocchio. Is that why you're afraid to tell? No need to fret. Tell us the truth – we'll understand. Put yer trust in Goofy!"

"It's alright, Pinocchio. If you tell us, we can help you," Luna agreed, reassuring the boy.

Moved by the reassurances, Pinocchio decided to come clean. "I was looking for a way out. Father says he's happy, but it's my fault we're stuck here. I shouldn't have run away from home. I want to help Father get back to his workshop. But he'll worry if I tell him what I'm doing."

It didn't take long for Jiminy to put two and two together. "So that's why you thought you had to tell a lie."

"You did it 'cause you love your dad!" Goofy concluded.

"Good to know, or would've gotten into a lot worse trouble than this," Medea agreed cautiously.

"All you need now is courage!" Donald added.

Pinocchio got confused. "What?"

"Tell Geppetto the truth," Donald replied, "With a little courage, you can do it! If you tell him how you really feel, I bet he'll help you find a way out."

"And we'll give you a hand!" Sora added confidently.

"Really? You'll give us a hand?" Pinocchio asked hopefully. "Okay, I'll give it a try! Wish me luck, Jiminy!"

"No more keeping secrets, then. Have we got a deal?" Jiminy asked to make sure.

Pinocchio nodded eagerly. "Sure! I'll be brave and tell Father how I really feel. No lies this time!"

"You see? Bravery to be honest can help you in the long run," Luna said cheerfully, "especially if there's someone you care about. Isn't that right?"

Unbeknownst to them, Luna's words seemed to have made Nero wince a little and break eye contact from the rest of the gang; not only that, but he felt himself turning a little pale, but he looked away before anybody could see what was really going on with him.

"Yeah…you're right," he agreed, struggling to hide his reluctance.

"Great! Then your nose won't –" Jiminy's talk was interrupted when a sudden quake occurred.

Suddenly noticing the violent shuddering, Sora and the others started looking around the place, trying to find where the cause was coming from. Could there be something be wrong with the whale, or was there something else at play? Whatever it is, it didn't sound good for everyone present.

"What's happening?!" Sora exclaimed.

"I've got a bad feeling about this!" Donald fretted.

"Pinocchio, run for it!" Jiminy cried out in alarm.

Immediately, Pinocchio started to flee for the exit out of Monstro's stomach, but before he could get out to safety, something dropped down from the ceiling – and then snatched the boy, forcing him into its cage-like mouth! By the time they had heard the sound of something landing on the platform, Sora and the others suddenly were horrified to find that Pinocchio is trapped inside a Heartless's body with no way out of there.

"Pinocchio!" Sora was alarmed at the sight of the boy's capture.

"Help! I'm trapped!" the boy cried out from inside the cage.

"Oh, no! We've got to help Pinocchio!" Luna panicked in horror.

"Just do me a favor and don't do any repeats, you hear me?" Medea ordered as she brandished her claws.

"Why is it children get into trouble like this…?" Nero sighed as he readied his broadsword.

If having to rescue Pinocchio is already enough of a dilemma, then the fact that the platforms the Parasite Cage decided to settle on has stomach acid surrounding only four smaller platforms that have barely any leg room for everyone to move around on served to make the situation a lot worse. In fact, Donald and Goofy in particular are forced to watch their step every single time so that they don't get burned by the acid below them while they're trying to help their allies. On Sora's account, he is able to get a few hits in with his keyblade, but even then had to rely on his magic when he was out of the range of the creature. On the flipside of the situation, Luna and Medea had it a bit easier since Luna can use her Shadow Hands to keep her above the acid while staying at a comfortable distance and Medea doesn't always have to keep her feet on the ground while tearing through the rubbery hide of the parasitic Heartless.

However, what made the battle more difficult for them is when the tentacles of the creature stretched out to either grab at its assailants or to knock them off the platforms toward the walls of the stomach. Not helping them is the thunderbolts it lets out just to spitefully trip them up, preventing them from staying still on the platforms.

"This is getting very annoying!" Donald complained angrily.

At one point, one of the Parasite Cage's tentacles lashed out at everyone on the field, causing everyone to suddenly either trip on their toes or to make them stumble along the edges of the platforms. One of them lashed out against Luna as she tried to move out of the way, but it caught at her satchel, causing the strings to cut off; instinctively, she summoned a smaller Hand to grab it and bring it back to her. Just as she was doing that, though, the tentacle returned for another round when the might of a broadsword blocked it off from getting closer to her – which was only made possible by Nero!

"What were you thinking, Luna? Pay attention!" Nero questioned her.

"Sorry…I was distracted," she replied as she tucked the satchel by her hips.

A sigh could be heard from him. "We'll have to talk about this later. But for now, I think it's time to tip the scales in this fight, don't you think?"

From his pocket, Nero pulled out a card much like the ones Sora and Luna had seen and made use of when things got pretty difficult for them. In this case, the moment he used the card, the entire floor changed from a hazard acid pool to a harder surface with a much safer platform.

The instant Sora witnessed this; he quickly put two and two together to figure out that the cards capable of changing the environment was all Nero's doing. To him, he finally understood why progress through the worlds has gotten a little bit easier for them a few floors ago.

"Okay, just hang on a little longer, Pinocchio!" Sora called out to the boy inside, "We'll have this thing to its knees in no time!"

"It's about damn time we have an opening on that freak!" Medea agreed as she prepared for another counterattack.

Thanks to the change of scenery, everyone pooled their individual strengths together and pummeled the monster until it could no longer keep itself standing from the overwhelming force delivered against it. Now there's still the matter of figuring out how they're going to get Pinocchio out of the monster's cagey mouth.

"Help me! I'm scared!" Pinocchio cried, afraid.

"Pinocchio, be brave!" Sora called out.

"How?" the boy asked.

"Don't give up! Try fighting your way out!" Sora replied.

"And trust me when I say I don't want my master getting stuck with ya!" Medea added. "Not after last time!"

"Be brave…" Pinocchio could be heard taking a deep breath to calm his fear. "Okay, I'll try!"

Then, when least expected, Pinocchio suddenly started jumping up and down inside the Parasite Cage's stomach, causing to convulse in pain like it was having a severely upset stomach until it could take it anymore and collapsed, leaving its mouth open for escape. Pinocchio took advantage of this as he climbed out of the mouth and hurried to the safety of Sora and company before the monster disappeared in a flash.

Jiminy hurried over to him to make sure the child is okay. "Pinocchio, are you alright?"

Pinocchio smiled like it's no problem. "Don't worry, I'm okay. Just a little sticky…"

"That's good to know. You had us all worried," Luna sighed in relief.

"But I have a great idea!" Pinocchio said, "That thing spit me out when I started fighting back. Why don't we try the same thing with Monstro?"

"I wouldn't have thought about that," Medea admitted, impressed at the thought.

"Of course! If we're lucky, Monstro might cough us up!" Sora agreed eagerly.

"Great idea! Let's go deeper inside and try it!" Donald seconded the idea.

"I'm going, too!" the boy declared.

"No, it's too dangerous," Jiminy stopped him right there.

Pinocchio seemed disappointed. "Aww, c'mon…"

"You should be with Geppetto," the cricket insisted, "No use escaping from Monstro if you two get separated again!"

"I have to agree with Jiminy on that. Besides, you and Geppetto are family," Luna agreed, "and it would best if a real family should stick together after finding each other again."

"Leave it to us," Sora promised him.

Knowing that it's the honest truth about family, Pinocchio felt convinced it's for the best.

"I guess you're right," he agreed, "Be careful, everybody!"

"You be careful, too, Pinocchio," Luna answered for everyone, "Take good care now."

Knowing that the wooden boy will be safe from harm after the Heartless fiasco, the party made their way out of the stomach to find the perfect location to provoke Monstro into setting free the imprisoned family held within the belly of the monstrous whale.

* * *

After scouring around the rest of the whale innards, they found themselves moving deeper and deeper into the belly until they found themselves in the farthest reaches of the whale's innards itself. It can only be assumed that where they are is probably the most sensitive of Monstro's organs since they could feel some tickling as they stepped inside the place to examine it.

Goofy looked around before he said, "Looks like this is as far as we go."

"I guess this spot is where the whale's sensitivity levels get bonkers," Medea speculated.

"Ready, then? Let's shake things up!" Sora asked, ready for some action.

"It would be easier if we had something to fight…" Donald started to say.

"Like Heartless?" Luna finished the duck's thoughts.

Sora looked past them like he saw something opportune. "Perfect timing. Looks like we've got company!"

When everyone turned to find numbers of Heartless emerging from the shadows of the innards, it didn't take long for them to get into positions to execute the plan. Thanks to the solid wave of Heartless swarming in on them, it gave the party enough enemies to attack and give a little irritation to the giant whale. As time went on, as every little Heartless was wiped out, there seemed to be some tremors initially passing through unnoticeably. By the time they got all of them, a violent quake suddenly flooded the entire area, startling them before they could catch their breath.

Jiminy noticed it and exclaimed, "It's working! Monstro's gonna sneeze!"

"Oh, great! Now we're in for it!" Medea groaned, knowing what will happen next.

All of a sudden, a violent burst of air shot out from underneath them, sending all of them careening out of their current location without any chances of escaping the blast. Before long, they made a rough landing right back to the mouth of the whale itself where Geppetto had been earlier – only except for the fact that both father and son are gone from sight.

As they recovered, Sora couldn't help groaning from the rough ride while the others worked to straighten themselves out after that event.

"Oww…Now I know what getting shot out of a cannon feels like," he groaned as he worked to get up.

"That was a horrible ride out," Luna complained as she sat up.

"Yeah, well, at least you didn't get any back pain like the last time we were here," Medea said.

That stunned Nero somewhat. "Wait, when did that happen? She didn't do anything too reckless, did she?"

But Goofy interrupted them when he asked, "Where's Pinocchio and his dad?"

Jiminy looked around the wreckage. "They're gone. They must've gotten out safely."

That got Sora worried. "Without you, Jiminy? I thought there was no escaping your conscience."

"I don't mind being left behind, as long as they're both safe," Jiminy reassured him, "Maybe Pinocchio doesn't need me after all."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked as Luna questioned, "Are you sure, Jiminy?"

"That little puppet used to have trouble telling right from wrong," the cricket explained to them, "But he's come a long way. Maybe he doesn't need Jiminy Cricket anymore. Seems like he's got a conscience of his very own."

That was when Sora remembered something. "Don't you remember what Geppetto said? 'There's nothing better than to be reunited with someone you care about'. I'd bet Pinocchio's counting the days until he can see you again."

Jiminy smiled, comforted by the thought. "Well, what do you know? You might be right."

When Sora and Jiminy spoke heavily about the matter of having a conscience and the associations with Pinocchio, it seemed to make Nero behave a little apprehensively despite his efforts to hide it. Luna noticed this, though, and wondered if there was something else on his mind besides the fact that they've heard a cricket lecturing about knowing right from wrong and letting a conscience guide someone in their lives.

"Does Jiminy's talks about having a conscience bother you, Nero?" Luna asked curiously, "I'm sure you understand that he means well with what he's teaching."

"Well, no…it's not the cricket that bothers me," Nero replied hesitantly, "I just have to question how your friend over here is able to understand these things when he's prone to doing something reckless himself."

She shrugged a bit. "It's how Sora is. He wants to help people, regardless of whether they know right and wrong or not."

"Right…" he murmured to himself. Then he changed the topic. "Luna… Back when we fought that monster, what was that you were determined to rescue despite the trouble already in your face? It didn't look like anything too important."

Luna pouted a bit childishly. "It's a satchel that I got when I visited a world. I've used it to hold important treasures to me, little things from my childhood that I was given by people I knew back then. I don't want to lose those parts of myself because, without them, I'd lose what connections I had made before…before I lost it all…"

Unknown to both of them, Medea listened to what the two were talking about as she wondered what's on Nero's mind as he questioned about the satchel her master carried with her everywhere. Something about Nero's attention to it started to bother her as it felt to her like an invasion of Luna's privacy.

"Well, if there's something in there that gives you bad memories, then you should get rid of it right away," Nero suddenly suggested.

Luna was shocked at this. "No…! I couldn't do that! What if I need them to remember where I got them? What little I was given, for better or worse, are a part of me and are reminders of where I've been. I can't just get rid of even one thing, not in a hundred years!"

"My thoughts exactly on that, Luna," Medea agreed, stepping in her master's defense. "And besides, what business are the contents of the bag to you, bub? I don't recall you being the security guy about it."

At first, it seemed like Nero was about to make an argument with Medea, but something in the Guardian's glare warned him that they were being serious about their opinions. Knowing that he's in a losing battle, he reluctantly backed down from the topic and decided to drop it before anybody else questions what's going on between them that was being troublesome.

"…Alright, then. I'll drop it for now," Nero complied, "Let's just keep going through the castle."

As Nero began to walk away, Sora walked in on the two girls with a confused face as to why Nero was acting rather oddly while walking away from them.

"Was there something wrong?" he asked out of concern.

"I'd rather not talk about it until we get outta here," Medea replied quickly, not wanting to waste time.

"Yes, I'd rather not stick around inside a giant whale for another minute," Luna agreed, "Can we talk about once we leave here? I promise I won't hide anything."

Sora, convinced on the notion of caution, agreed, "Alright, then. When we're out of here, we'll talk about what happened. I just don't want any trouble, you know."


	12. Chapter 11: Traverse Town - Riku

**Goddammit, I stalled on this for too long...**

 **Hello, everyone! Lilith back here again! Anybody miss me?**

 **Yeah, sorry about the long wait. I've had a lot of stuff going on, and I was almost suffering from writer's block. But anyways, I finally pulled through, and here we go!**

 **Anyway, since we're here, I'd like to let you guys know that I'm still awaiting ideas for Disney worlds to visit for the next storyline of my Kingdom Hearts fanfic series, as well as options for Final Fantasy characters to make guest appearances. If anybody needs a refreshers on the qualifiers or you haven't heard about it at all, please refer to chapter 6 for details. Some of you gave some interesting ideas, and I would love to hear what you'd like chosen for a world and why you want this world in there.**

 **I'm not kidding. Give me reasons for your choice of worlds or Final Fantasy characters. I'm all ears. :)**

 **Anyways, without further ado, hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 11 – Basement 8; Traverse Town, Riku

As they almost reached the halfway point of the castle basement, Riku and Noir made use of the next card that brought them through the belly of the sea beast called Monstro. For Riku, being inside the whale of a whale brought back a lot of bad memories of when he had been there, mocking Sora and relentlessly stalking Luna with the hopes that she would help him save Kairi when she clearly wanted nothing to do with Maleficent; worse still, he recalled quite well how reckless she was in trying to rescue a little wooden boy from danger. The most that Noir had to complain about is the awful stench of digested sea creatures that lingered around inside whatever air is inside the whale's body. But at the very least, they had the ample opportunity to destroy the Parasite Cage that bothered the whale's stomach so that they can get out of that gross place and not have to think about it for a long while.

"It's a wonder anybody who's been there hasn't fainted from the smell," Noir fussed as she coughed from the lingering smell.

"Tell me about it. I wouldn't want to be in there for even a day," Riku agreed as he fanned his nose.

She sighed in relief as she breathed in the different air. "What would I give to smell something pleasant after going through this mess?"

"What, you'd rather smell flowers?" Riku joked.

"Actually, flowers wouldn't be so bad right now," Noir agreed, to his surprise. "But given where we are, I suppose I can only dream."

"Well, it's not like those flower décors by the wall are gonna help in that," he agreed, "Maybe we'll have better luck elsewhere."

* * *

Back in the lower part of the basement, Zexion was keeping tabs on their comrades' activity topside and the status of their designated targets when Lexaeus arrived in the room. The younger member could tell from the look on his face that he wants to know what's going on upstairs, and that there might be trouble brewing for them. With Vexen preoccupied with his projects, only the two of them have the opportunity to compare notes about what they'll have to do to handle the situation when the need arises.

"What's happening to Sora?" Lexaeus asked.

"Namine's powers are being used to shuffle his memories as we speak," Zexion reported, "Marluxia may very well succeed in getting his puppet."

"And what of Luna? Same thing?" Lexaeus questioned.

Zexion shook his head. "Luna's memories are also shuffled, but at a much slower pace than Sora's. They've sent in the doppelganger to attempt to lure her to them, all the while allowing the imposter to lock away her memories in the process. Whether Marluxia will also be able to seize her or not depends on whether or not she catches on what the scheme is."

As much as they didn't want to admit it, they couldn't help but suspect that the key differences between the two targets may very well be one of the factors that decides whether or not their efforts in Castle Oblivion is for naught. After all, Sora has no idea what he's gotten himself into, not that it concerns them all that much. And besides, their leader requires his keyblade for their own purposes, and the boy clearly doesn't even have an idea about the bigger picture. Still, if someone like Marluxia got ahold of him, there's no knowing what trouble that would make if left to his own devices. Even so, Sora's potential is astronomical compared to anybody else in the worlds, with a few notable exceptions.

"Sora would be a valuable asset to the Organization," Zexion admitted, "but Marluxia and Larxene's actions…they leave me uneasy."

"And then there is Axel. Who knows what that one is thinking…" Lexaeus agreed.

Now that's something even Zexion couldn't deny there. Compared to everyone else, Axel might as well be the wild card. Anything he says could be misleading, and he's not the type to simply give away what his intentions are, for better or worse. Besides, what are the chances that he knows something that the others do not? He wouldn't know. Not that it concerns him anyway, since a certain scientist has a little trick up his sleeve…

"Vexen should take care of this," the schemer said, "His replica is soon to be completed."

But Lexaeus had his doubts on the matter. "But Vexen despises Marluxia. Think of the mess it would make."

"So we must tell him," Zexion replied, shrugging his shoulders without care, "Isn't it better that Vexen clean up the mess than leave it to us?"

Somewhere in his mind, though, Zexion saw an opportunity for himself while their cohorts are distracted with their pawns and targets. While everyone else is preoccupied, he could steal a little time to analyze the data that Vexen provided for him, and assess what could be done to get the upper hand on Marluxia. And besides, what good will that do the scheming assassin to send in that prisoner after the targets?

 _'_ _At least the members topside doesn't know about the anomaly we discovered,'_ he thought to himself, _'Besides, they're too focused on Sora and Luna to even care about the intruder. With the data, perhaps there might be a way to swipe one of them away at the first chance.'_

* * *

Arriving at the door, Riku could tell that he's down to one card left before they can reach the halfway point of the basement. The next card in hand, he could tell, leads to a town that was created to shelter refugees of lost worlds caused by the Heartless – at least, that was what he knew from the witch. That was the place where he had found them, but he deeply regretted thinking that he had been replaced by the dog and the duck that accompanied his friends outside of the town – more so since it was his fault for not knowing any better.

"So what is the next destination?" Noir asked him.

"It's Traverse Town. Sora and Luna wound up there, far as I know," Riku replied to her, "Though, to my shame, I didn't see a lot of people there for…certain reasons."

"Well, maybe you'll have a better chance there," she speculated, "Surely you must have seen somebody while you were there scoping the place around."

Riku had his doubts, but he knew what she was thinking. "I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?"

Making the most of it, he used the card as the door opened itself up to them, allowing the two to make their way inside to see what they'll be expecting inside their next destination…

* * *

Upon entering the new world, they looked around the place to see a perpetually dark night sky overshadowed by countless street lights brightening the entire vicinity of the town. Scattered about the place are small shops meant to keep its managers afloat as well as inns open for the homeless refugee; otherwise the buildings present are simply little homes that are used by the residents for either shelter from the conditions of the outside. But what really unnerved Riku is that the entirety of the street seemed to be completely empty. Perhaps the Heartless had something to do with it?

"It's rather quiet for a town," Noir commented.

"I don't see anybody around here," Riku agreed as he looked around, "Maybe everyone's in hiding from, say, the Heartless?"

Just as he said that, though, several different forms of Heartless suddenly appeared in the street in huge droves. On cue, Riku summoned his Soul Eater as Noir manifested her Dark Hands, ready for the oncoming swarm about to make a charge at them. But just when it seemed like there might be a fight about to commence, a storm of thunderbolts rained down on the swarm of Heartless that had just formed before the critters could make an advance on their prey. This baffled them since they have no idea where the attacks came from – or who had the skill to wipe the Heartless out in a single swipe, for that matter.

"Ahh-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaa! Such idiotic creatures they are, thinking they can do whatever they want in this little town. Well, at least I'm proud to say that my powerful magic hasn't even tried to let me down."

Not recognizing the sound of the high-pitched, haughty voice, Riku and Noir started to search around for where the source of the voice came from until they heard small pats of footsteps approaching them. Their attention turned to that of a drastically short, childlike individual with pointed ears and blond hair held in large pigtails; she dressed in a black-and-white mage's robe with gold trimmings decorating the edges, dark decorated gloves covering her hands and lightly armored striped boots on her feet. They could tell from the look on her face that she seemed to be rather proud of herself, having done the work without even trying.

"Well now, do I see before my eyes two newcomers come to seek help, give or take?" the short lady commented when she saw them, "I've seen my fair share of unusual refugees in this ever growing sanctuary, but this unsurprising sight certainly takes the cake. Tell me who you two might be, and kindly don't start lying, unless you need some help slowly dying."

"That won't be necessary, madam. We are newcomers," Noir answered in their defense.

"Yeah, and we have no idea what's going on here," Riku added, "I'm Riku, and this woman with me is Noir. What about you?"

The magician raised a brow. "What about me, he asks! Is your brain as empty as a marketplace's casks? I am Shantotto, master of magic and one of the best! As you've no doubt seen before your eyes, my power is just a cut above the rest. After all, it's not like most of the others in this place can hold a candle. Even the Heartless should know better than to think that I am not more than they can handle."

Riku couldn't believe what he was listening to. In fact, he had no idea how Luna is able to put up with this magician's bloated pride, much less listen to her boasts. But then again, he can't completely call her out on that since he wasn't any better himself. He thought what he was doing was right on his own terms, but he truthfully didn't know better.

"I wonder how Luna is able to deal with you," he couldn't help asking himself.

But Shantotto heard that. "I'm sorry, but did you say something, child? You should know better than to let your tongue run wild."

"Madam Shantotto, with all due respect, we have no idea what we're doing here," Noir stepped in, "But if the Heartless are causing any trouble around here, then perhaps we can do something to assist you and your companions, whoever they might be? I'm sure Riku would be more than happy to help in any way he can."

This caught the magician's attention. "Oh-ho! Is that so? You just arrived here, and now you want to play the heroes? Well, I suppose it's better than relying on any of those irritatingly incompetent zeroes. In that case, then we'd better be sure to have a word with the others straight away. The time has come to really make the Heartless lose their pay! Follow me, and don't you dare be so slow! I'd like to see if your bites match your barks in the show."

As she started to walk away, the most Riku could do is look at Noir and give her a confused face, to which she answered with a shrug of her shoulders. But considering how they've arrived on the scene, they might as well find out what's going on and see if they can find the exit. Perhaps whoever they can find in this town might be able to shed some light as to what's making the Heartless run rampant around this supposed to be peaceful town.

* * *

Their venture through the town led them to the inn, Riku and Noir found themselves meeting a small contingent of individuals having a discussion with one another before realizing that one of their own has returned. One is a young boy about a few years younger than Riku, with slightly long black hair; he is dressed in a bell-sleeved blouse under a dark tunic, navy shorts, and thigh-high green leather boots. Another is a man with light-blue hair twisted in two horned tails and one bang protruding forward; he is garbed in a dark blue, ornate robe with red trimmings and a green sash around his waist. The last is a man wearing a suit of highly decorated from head to toe with a long black cape and a horned helmet that hid his face from plain view. To the new visitors, it's clear to them that these are the people in league with the magician against the Heartless threatening this town.

"You don't suppose they're a resistance group against the Heartless, do you?" Noir wondered.

"Maybe, or they're probably the only refugees who can fight back," Riku guessed.

Their arrival at the inn caught the attention of the small team involved in the town, more so since they seemed to immediately recognize one of their own returning to base. Of course, that didn't mean the magician is the only thing they noticed come in from the start; they also saw that she had returned with new, unfamiliar faces in tow behind her.

"Ah! Professor, have you found more refugees with nowhere to go?" the man in the robes asked attentively.

"More than just refugees, dare I say," Shantotto replied proudly, "They claim that want to join in on our little play."

The young boy quickly took interest in the newcomers. "In that case, their help would be most welcome in this town, what with the Heartless running rampant."

The armored man didn't look so sure. "Lord Larsa, how would we know whether they'd be able to help us at all? And besides, we don't know what they're doing here in the first place."

"What? Are you saying we can't handle things ourselves?" Riku asked, challenging the armored man's skepticism.

"Now, now, let's not have any bickering while we're all gathered together," the robed man intervened calmly, "At the very least, we should get acquainted with these people who had come to see us personally." He then turned to them and politely bowed respectfully. "Please, allow me to introduce us all. I am Seymour. The gentlemen here are Larsa and his protector, Gabranth. And I am certain you already know about Shantotto, my teacher."

"Well met, good sir. I am Noir, and this young man with me is Riku," Noir reciprocated the introductions, "Truthfully, we just arrived here and we don't know what's happened in this town as of late. Though, Madam Shantotto was considerate enough to fill us in on the basics of the problem. Is it right that there's trouble with the Heartless?"

Larsa nodded. "Sad to say, it is the honest truth. Even though Traverse Town was created to be a safe haven for those who have lost their homes and have nowhere to go, the Heartless will not leave the survivors alone."

Riku certainly remembered hearing about Traverse Town and what it was supposed to do for those who lost their worlds to the Heartless and the darkness. When he had gone there to search for Sora and Luna, he had a pretty good idea of what goes on at that sanctuary; however, he never really had the chance to touch upon the residents of the temporary haven. Come to think of it, he never really knew who Sora had met. The only people he did catch glimpses of when he was scouting the place was people that had been associated with Luna. Why was that? Not even he knows for sure. But perhaps being around them could help him get a better scope on what he didn't get the chance to explore.

"Worse still, not many of the refugees in this place are capable of defending themselves against the fiends," Seymour added. "So far, we're the only ones here who can keep the Heartless at bay for a time. But now, we have reason to believe that they will not stop invading unless we find the source of the problem."

"Oh, come now, my pupil, and don't speak of it like it's an impossible task! Is that too much to ask?" Shantotto chastised her student. "We all know that the Heartless we've faced thus far are as fragile as glass, easy to stomp on like grass. It's the leader of the unrelenting posse that poses to us a crisis at hand, and it's for that reason that we came to stand together as a merry little band. So, if anybody has a good theory as to how we can find the mastermind behind this irritating dilemma, then I'd love it if someone spilled the beans. I'm sure that a sound idea, whatever they may be, would help justify the necessary means."

So, the Heartless in Traverse Town have been causing trouble repeatedly because of their elusive leader hiding somewhere in town? That's something that Riku can understand to an extent; he had intended on going after those who turned to the dark, with Ansem the last one on his list to bring down. If that's the case, then that means whatever is the real enemy in this world is next for him to take down in order to leave.

Noir seemed to get an idea as to what he was thinking, if not outright believing that he might be on to something on how to help.

"I suppose you have a few theories as to how to find the source of the problem," she guessed.

"I might have a little thought. But the tricky part would be convincing them," Riku answered with caution.

His words didn't go unheard, more so when Larsa overheard him. "Do you have any counsel on where to start the search?"

"I might have a few ideas, but it'll be a stretch," Riku replied, "If what you're all saying about the relentlessness of the Heartless is true, and there is the likely possibility of something leading them time and time again, then wouldn't that mean they've been unleashing their waves from somewhere least expected?"

His speculation brought a lot of attention to the party, since each of them looked at one another with deep thoughts about the matter. Perhaps they've been fighting off the Heartless for quite a while, and none of them had an idea as to where they were coming from, much less how to diminish their presence in one swoop. This gave Riku and Noir more reason to see what they can do to help these dedicated defenders clean up the town of the pestering creatures, and preserve the sanctuary for good.

Finally, Seymour spoke up. "Perhaps you're right. There must've been something we haven't looked into since the Heartless arrived."

"Then an investigation is in order, starting now!" Shantotto declared, "Young man – Riku, is it right? – I must admit your peculiar insight surprises us, and how! I've half a mind to run a few tests to analyze your integrity straight away, but I suppose it will have to wait for another day."

But Gabranth was persistently skeptical. "Even if he is right, what other reason does he and his companion want to be involved? Do they hide something that they haven't told us even now? Their intentions, whatever they may be, have yet to be called to question."

Noir took offense to the doubts. "I beg your pardon? We only want to help! Is that a crime in your eyes?"

"The tinman seems to think so," Riku answered sarcastically. "Just listen to his pessimism."

"I'd like to believe Riku and Noir could guide us to the source of the Heartless in this town, wholly," Larsa mediated between the conflicting parties, "But if there is persistent uncertainty, then perhaps a select one or two of us could follow them and monitor for proof of earnest intent for the town."

Leave it to someone as young as Larsa to handle the matter with hidden wisdom beyond his years. Personally, Riku couldn't help but admire the maturity concealed underneath that innocent face of a child; he had reason to believe that these traits made him the most approachable for his friends despite the different backgrounds they have. It made him wish that he had the chance to know those few people had it been under different circumstances.

However, there's still a bit of concern on their part since neither of them is too eager to allow someone so young to follow along with them. Considering what they're about to get themselves into, it didn't feel comforting to string along other people with them if the Heartless decide to get more ruthless the moment they leave the inn.

"Are you sure about that?" Riku asked, a little worried about the situation. "Not to put any doubts about you, but is it safe for you to come along?"

Larsa raised a brow on that question. "Is that concern I hear from you?"

Now that he thought about it, Riku wondered what was making him worried for someone he hardly knew of whatsoever. But then again, when he had seen Luna a few separate times before she was legally adopted, it felt natural for him and his friends to be a bit protective of her. It stands to reason that he probably didn't want another young child to be endangered in his company, considering how he treated the child-puppet before… He didn't want to think of what ways someone as young as Larsa could be gravely endangered under his watch.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he confessed sheepishly.

"We'll be quite alright on our own," Noir added in reassurance, "Let's just get down to business and start our search in town."

"Right, then. We'll scout out the three districts in three groups," Seymour agreed, setting up the plan. "Larsa and Gabranth will take the Third District. The professor and I will search the First District. Riku, you and Noir will investigate the Second District. With each of us searching the districts, we'll have a better chance to find the leader of the Heartless."

That sounded like a good plan in their minds. With each pair performing recon over the open districts of town, there is a likely possibility for one of the groups to find the source of the Heartless invading Traverse Town. Not to mention, it would help them cover more ground so long as they are on guard for any numbers of Heartless that might try to come at them from different angles. Plus, a thorough search would help Riku get rid of another creature that dabbled in the dark, and hopefully bring him closer to reuniting with his friends.

* * *

"This town is much larger than I thought," Noir later commented in awe. "It's a wonder how anyone can get around without getting lost."

"Sometimes I wonder that myself," Riku agreed as he looked around.

Compared to the narrow, crooked corridors of Hollow Bastion, the streets of Traverse Town were much larger and with a lot more corners to lead all over the place. Thanks to readable shop signs scattered in some places of the district, it was much easier to stay on track while searching around for the starting point of the Heartless' emergence. However, ever since stepping outside of the inn, it seemed that the black creatures themselves didn't want to make their investigations a simple stroll in the park. From the shadowy corners of the alleyways, the Heartless would attempt to ambush them with different groups assembled. It's almost as though whatever is unleashing them on the town really doesn't want them to succeed by any means necessary, and not on their own at that. But then again, were they seriously expecting any leniency anywhere in the memories of the worlds?

No, absolutely not.

"Right now, I'm starting to question how we're going to find the 'mastermind'," Riku admitted abruptly.

"That is a rather good question," Noir agreed with a sigh, "If we had some form of clue, then that would help us pinpoint the leader's exact location."

"Or at least a general location," he added sarcastically.

All of a sudden, when the duo least expected it, a loud, low ringing sound echoed across the streets from the clock tower nestled a good distance from their position. Just as it did do so, though, Riku and Noir were greeted by burlier Heartless from all corners of the streets, ready to get a pounce on them.

"I should've seen this coming," Noir said as she summoned her Hands.

Riku readied his blade. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly."

Despite the efforts of Riku and Noir to keep them at bay until the chaos has finally died down, what both of them noticed right away is that after the ringing of the clock tower bell, the number of Heartless appeared to have increased than what they had encountered previously. It's almost as though the waves that came along had a timed interval. But what could this mean for their objective? Neither had the chance to think about it because the flood of Heartless would not let up at all. That is, until Noir decided enough is enough, and she opted to drastically turn the tides in their favor for the time being. Summoning her Shadow Guardian to her aid, Tenebrae emerged from her shadow and used a tremendous flood of water to wash away almost all of the Heartless in a single strike, leaving Riku just enough enemies to finish off for good – at least, for now.

"That was unexpected," he commented, looking around at the clear streets. "But did you notice something, Noir? After the clock tower rang off, Heartless showed up, and in bigger numbers than the ones we ran into earlier – you know, the ones the egotistical magician fried to a crisp when we met her."

"Come to think of it, we didn't hear the clock when we first came in," Noir agreed with suspicion in her voice, "Something's up in this town, and I'm quite sure the resistance party might know something about it. What if they've experienced the constant intervals of the clock chimes beforehand? That must mean something if even the greatest of fighters among them had trouble finding a longer chance to rest after a long battle."

That was when Riku remembered how the resistance spoke about trying their hardest to repel the Heartless with little satisfaction. If what he and Noir had witnessed raises a few alarm bells in their heads, then does this mean they've actually found a lead that can tip the scales of the issue against the Heartless? Maybe – and that's a huge maybe in his mind – if the clock starts to ring again, then perhaps that will be the signal for the leader to come out in the open. If that's the case, then that means one of the divided groups could be encountering the leader and might run into serious trouble without help.

Then, when they least expected it, a slow banging of the bell sound off throughout the town streets, resounding with a haunting boom. Both of them would've suspected more Heartless to arrive and ambush them. But no others arrived at the scene. Instead, between the low ringing of the bell, another sound could be heard from afar; it was the sound of a metallic substance clunking and rattling faintly heard from a distance. What manner of monster makes that form of noise like that of rattling armor? Unless if…

Dreading what this would mean, Riku said with unease in his voice, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Noir turned to him. "A much larger Heartless, do you think?"

Tenebrae's wispy voice echoed from the shadow. _"Follow the rattle. At the next chime, the monster shall prey upon any that enter its hunting ground."_

Tenebrae's warnings strongly implied a possible crisis that would threaten the town: something giant might show up at one of the districts! Heeding the words of the Guardian, Riku and Noir immediately booked it out of the Second District to warn the others before the situation can get worse than it already has.

* * *

Their trail led them further down town to the Third District, where Riku could tell from the faintly strong presence that whatever is out there is not too far off. But then he quickly noticed that Larsa and Gabranth are nowhere to be found. Could it be perhaps that they had an encounter with the Heartless from the moment the clock tower rang aloud? Hopefully, nothing serious happened to them during the emergence of the new wave of Heartless.

"The trail ends here, but I don't see the source," Noir said as she looked around. "Where could it be?"

"Well, didn't your Guardian say it will show up at the next chime?" Riku reminded her.

"Found yourselves in a bout of trouble, have you? This is what we get for taking in strangers."

Recognizing the snide and pessimistic voice of Gabranth, Riku and Noir turned around to find him coming into the Third District. To their surprise, Larsa is not present with him. Did he fall behind from fighting the Heartless after the clock chime? Sad to say, there wasn't any time to assess the situation when the armored warrior had more to say to them – though, given his attitude, it's more like criticism.

"Riku, what are you trying to prove by helping us fight the Heartless?" Gabranth interrogated him. "What example are you trying to make while you're here?"

After a moment of silence, Riku gave his answer. "Who told you I was trying to make an example? I'm trying to fix the mistakes I made, mistakes that almost cost me my friends. I want to return to them, and return home with them once I've defeated the darkness I've taken in."

"And yet you have this woman with you, following your every move," Gabranth argued, "What excuse do you have for keeping her with you to cover for you?"

"I'm not covering for him! I'm traveling with him to find something important," Noir answered boldly in Riku's defense, "I promised to accompany him until he found his friends. I even agreed to let him help me find what I'm searching for."

"And besides, at least I have a reason to fight the darkness," Riku added, "and I've been fighting since I got out of that abyss. If it means supporting Noir on her mission, then I'm fine with that."

There was a momentary; still silence after the boy gave away his motivations for struggling against the very forces he had once been around. Nobody made a response after the words have been exchanged.

But then, Gabranth let a disbelieving scoff as he pointed his blade at the boy. "Ha! Supporting! You!? You, who claimed to know something about the Heartless just moments before? You hide something about yourself under that brave face of yours! Your bravado is nothing but a mask to hide your fears!"

"Enough! I will not have any of this."

Right at that moment, just when it seemed like a feud would erupt, Larsa arrived on the scene just in time to prevent Gabranth from crossing a line. Riku could tell from the frown on the boy's face that he is less than pleased at the way his bodyguard is treating them, which surprisingly impressed him. It almost made him think of how upset Sora would get when someone – like himself, shamefully – does something out of line.

"Right now, we haven't the time to squabble over affairs that don't concern us," Larsa warned sternly, "The Heartless have made their move as soon as the bell of the tower rang. The fact that we had to rout the wave in the specific parts of the districts is evidence there is something machinating their movements."

"Then you've both already had a run-in with the Heartless horde," Noir deduced.

"Indeed, we did. Not only that, but I could've sworn I heard the sound of rattling metal," he replied, "Do either of you have an idea what was doing it?"

"Well –" Riku started to give an answer.

But before any opportunities to compare notes were permitted between them, the clock tower chime can be heard from a distance. Not long after that, the same rattling of metal heard from afar echoed through the streets, but it didn't take long for the clanking to pick up the pace before it abruptly silenced. Then, without a chance to give a warning, a shadow quickly started to form in one spot within the Third District – right under Larsa and Gabranth! Unfortunately, despite Riku and Noir's efforts to hurry to their aid, something enormous dropped down to the ground too fast for them to reach the others in time before it slammed its entire being onto its intended landing site, leaving no chance for the moment to rectify the crisis. The only thing they could do is hope that nothing serious happened to them…

With a loud boom against the ground, particles of rock fluttering away from the point of impact, a gigantic Heartless in the form of a knight's armor gathered together its sentient parts…except there was something a little out of whack with it. The arms of the armor are settled where the legs should be, and the legs are in the position where the arms were supposed to linger. The head isn't nestled in the collar of its main body, but rather on the other end.

But that wasn't the worst part of the scene. When the dust had settled after the crash, it can be seen from afar that Larsa and Gabranth are both caught in the creature's crosshairs; Larsa is a small distance from the giant behemoth, but reeling in a daze, while Gabranth is lying sprawled on the ground with no known movement coming from him.

"When you said there had to be a leader, I don't think you meant this," Noir commented as she summoned her Hands.

"Maybe, but that doesn't change how dangerous it is," Riku agreed, readying his Soul Eater for attack, "More so with their trouble right now."

He was right about the problem; with two of the residents endangered by one Heartless stronger than the rest, it would be a bit difficult to engage in the fight without risking the lives of the ones most in need of help.

If that weren't enough, the tricky tactics of its independent limbs made sure that neither of them would be able to get an easy picking out of it; the feet would stomp about like an immature child, and the hands would attempt to swat at them like they were fruit flies. The wild and fickle nature of the armored Heartless pretty much forced the two to stay on their toes at all times so as to not get beaten around like a ragdoll, lest they wanted to be treated as such.

There did come a point, though, where Riku was forced into unleashing his power so as to turn the tides in their favor quickly. This, thankfully, gave him just enough force necessary to deliver a knockout to the main body itself, rendering the rest of itself momentarily immobile long enough to leave the limbs vulnerable to destruction. He even allowed Noir to take care of the arms and legs so that they'd have enough of a breathing space to get rid of the creature without having to undergo more harassment, which gave the both of them an opening to destroy the fiend for good.

* * *

Once the fiend vanished into nothing, they were about to turn their attention back to the boy and his guardian when, to their surprise, they found Seymour and Shantotto arriving at the scene to find that the fight had already been finished by the time they got there.

Seymour looked around the place, perplexed. "We thought we heard chaos from the First District. But it seems to me, Riku, that you and your friend have already taken care of it."

"I find it hard to believe that somebody already beat us to the game," Shantotto huffed indignantly. "To come here only to find nothing worthy of me is, dare I say, quite lame." Her attention then turned to that of Larsa and Gabranth. "Still, perhaps it could've been worse if anything happened to those two naïve ingénues, considering I've never seen an aftermath of a battle with such incredulous avenues."

Riku had no idea what to say about it. "Should we take this as a compliment or an insult?"

Noir had nothing to say because she was too focused on seeing to the aid of Larsa, who had just recovered his senses after the sudden appearance of the armored Heartless.

"Apologies about this…we were unprepared for that monster," Larsa apologized in shame, "We had no idea it was coming. I haven't the slightest idea as to what happened."

"None of us expected it, I assure you," Noir reassured softly. She turned to his bodyguard. "But still, I hate to think of what your protector went through when the fiend showed up out of the blue."

At the right moment, there was a groaning sound as they saw Gabranth slowly get up to a seating position, but he clung to his head as though he felt a lot of pain. Seymour took immediate action to tend to him with healing spells until the armored warrior could manage standing on his own. But it could be recognized from the lowered head of the bodyguard that he felt shameful for the humiliating punishment he went through at the hands of the monster.

"What a disgrace… To think that we almost were killed," Gabranth murmured, mortified.

"That you certainly could have, you sour loser, if we hadn't have gotten an extra hand from the boy and his surrogate parent!" the magician retorted at him harshly, "Not only were you playing deaf to their truths, but you were also blind to their wisdom apparent. Do you see that your distrust had almost cost you the life of your young lord, whom you swore to be his shield? Were you really expecting the fight against the darkness to be a pleasant stroll through a flower field?"

As harsh as her words were, Riku could easily spot something similar to himself when she called out Gabranth on his behavior. Much like him, when Riku's trust in his friends became warped by misperceptions, he lost sight of the truth that was right in front of him the entire time. He pushed away his best friend since childhood because of his pride and envy, and his care for another distorted to that of an obsessive desire to pull her away from who he thought was dragging her down when that wasn't the case. He had almost completely lost them because of his obsession with power, and he even almost himself completely if he hadn't caught on that Ansem would threaten Kairi and Luna's life after all that Sora did for them.

"I guess I wasn't any different in that department," he said to himself, aloud.

Larsa heard this as he turned in confusion. "Did you say something?"

Riku shook his head. "Sorry. Something your professor said reminded me of myself. I did some things I've come to regret, and I still do."

"I think I can understand that, somewhat," Larsa said, sympathy obviously coming out. "If there's one thing I regret most, it's not knowing where my brother could be. I could nothing to help him because I was too young and helpless then." He paused. "I'm certain the others have something they regret as well, even if don't want to admit it aloud. But maybe, just maybe, we'll find a way to resolve those matters eventually."

Noir raised a brow at those words. "That is quite the philosophy coming from someone so young. I guess someone had very efficient caretakers since you were small."

Riku chuckled. "Reminds me of myself as a kid. I sometimes said stuff that even Sora had trouble wrapping around his head."

"Then you would do well to be smart about yourself, young man, especially if you've got other places to be," Shantotto warned, "A little bit more work, and maybe your past as a total loser will come undone and set you free. But enough with the sentiment! It is time that you leave the nest and learn how to give your adversaries an irreversible detriment. Just don't forget all that you've learned. And on that note, our business is adjourned."

In conclusion with the termination of the Heartless in Traverse Town, Riku and Noir saw the resistance party out of the Third District now that the alliance has been completed. Now all they had to do is leave this place and keep on going up through the basement. But what neither of them will know is that a surprise will be waiting for them when they return to the white halls…


	13. Chapter 12: Halloween Town - Sora

**Hello everyone! Lilith here.**

 **Everyone enjoying their holiday so far? I sure hope so.**

 **Since I've got myself an opening, I figure why not get another chapter out. I hope you guys will like this!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 12: Floor 6 – Halloween Town; Sora

"Alright, Luna, let's do another recap. This time, we'll tackle the people you've met in your kid years, kay?"

"Okay, Medea. Let's do it."

After leaving the belly of Monstro, Medea thought it a good idea to perform another memory recap just to make sure Luna hasn't forgotten too much too soon. Ever since Sora started claiming to begin remembering someone different despite losing other memories, both girls wanted to check up to ascertain that certain memories haven't been completely lost by the tweaked out castle. After that fallout that is her memories of her past surrogate family, Luna agreed to check and see if she still remembers anybody she's met in her first travels across the worlds ten years ago.

"Right, then. First question: Do you still remember any of the princesses you've met?" Medea quizzed her.

Luna took a moment to think. "Yes. I remember Cinderella. I remember how kind and beautiful she is when we first met." She paused. "And the other princess… Oh, that's right. I remember Snow White. I remember how sweet and caring she was, how she let me stay with her and seven dwarves." She frowned a bit. "I can't quite remember the names of the dwarves, though. But I know they were a friendly bunch, and they were funny, too."

Medea's brow furrowed a bit. "Damn… Well, at least you still remember the princesses. That's good news." She then moved on. "Okay, then, second question: do you remember anybody else you've met in your travels?"

Luna thought about before she answered. "Well…I remember Queen Minnie. She was such a kind queen. And I remember how I helped Daisy with the moonflowers." That last bit she mentioned suddenly made her wonder a moment. "Come to think of it…when was the last time I ever saw a moonflower?" She dismissed it, focusing on the recap. "Never mind…I'll worry about it later." She shifted back to her memories, but then ran into some trouble. "Hmm… I think I've met someone at the coliseum besides Hercules. But… Oh, no. I can't recall what his name was, or his face…"

That raised a few alarms in Medea's head. "That's not too good. You're losing more memories as we keep going. I hate to think of what's running through Sora's head right now…"

"But there's something else, too," Luna said, worried. "Ever since Nero came with us, I've actually noticed something about myself that felt…wrong. When we were doing our recap, I couldn't help but feel like certain memories were being…locked away, like there's a lock on my memory to which I have no key to. I can't access my memories of that older man I can't remember the name of, and now it's happening to my memory of that man we met at the arena. I don't want to think of how many more will be locked out of my reach."

Now, that was something that raised a red flag in Medea's mind. How can memories be locked away? Luna is not the type to lock up a memory, only push it down when a part of it hurts.

And besides, if there's something that the Guardian is not looking forward to, it's having to convince her master to remember the events that transpired when she had known the people who made her childhood a living hell before her traumatic breakdown – and what happened after is something that Luna has yet to remember completely! The only thing she can hope is that nobody even tries to dig up the dark parts of her life before she can revive the memories she lost from another traumatic stress.

"I dunno what the hell is going on, but I'm gonna hope to Kingdom Hearts that you don't lose too much more memories," Medea confessed.

"I hope not, either. I don't want to forget the things I've been through before," Luna agreed worriedly.

* * *

Hearing Luna and Medea checking up on their memories made Sora attempt to search his memories by himself. Gradually, he's been remembering about that mystery girl who he felt so sure he's known somewhere prior to Luna's arrival on the islands. He was disappointed, though, that Nero wasn't too willing to spill to him what he knew about her because he didn't want to risk anyone trying to eavesdrop on them; perhaps he just didn't the guys in the black coats to exploit them at the first chance. If only he could remember more about that girl, then maybe he can help Luna remember her, too.

Donald noticed him lost in thought and asked, "Sora, is there anything else you remember about that girl?"

"Hmm…" Sora replied in contemplation. "Just bits and pieces."

"Then that means you're getting somewhere," Nero assured him, "You just need the right moment for it to come full circle."

"Maybe you could try tellin' us some more stuff about her," Goofy suggested. "Who knows? It might help ya remember other things."

In retrospect, he hadn't thought about trying to talk about her; maybe using the bits and pieces of memories that he's been gaining thus far, he could put together the identity of the girl he believed he had forgotten about for some time. Perhaps the new memories could help him explain to Luna who the mystery girl is so that she can better understand who she didn't know about. It was worth a try.

Well, uhh…" Sora took a moment to think over the fragments of memories. "She was quiet…and always drawing. When we'd go to the beach, she'd draw pictures rather than swimming. Sometimes she'd draw us, too! She was really good." He chuckled a bit. "I remember Riku and I fighting over who she'd draw next, while Luna watched her. But one day, she was gone, just like that. I think the grown-ups knew the reason. They might have even tried to explain some of it to me." He paused. "But I was little. I probably didn't understand what was happening. I remember crying after she was gone." He returned to reality. "But still…that's all. I still don't remember her name."

"Oh, I'll bet you'll remember it in no time!" Donald promised optimistically.

The duck's confidence seemed to perk up Sora a little bit; but then Jiminy came out, a little uncertain about it.

"I must point out," he said with unease, "Sora keeps remembering things instead of forgetting them. It seems to me forgetting things may be the only way – to reach the memories buried deeper inside each of us."

Luna felt herself shaking from dread. "Memories…buried deeper inside."

"I dunno about you, Jim, but I'd say that all this is getting way too screwy," Medea commented, her suspicion evident.

"So we should forget in order to remember?" Goofy asked.

"Like those guys said…'Our most precious memories lie so deep in our hearts, that they're out of reach'," Sora reminded them, "All that stuff about finding being losing and losing being finding… I didn't get it at first, but maybe this is what they meant."

"Think what you like, Sora. It's your memories after all," Nero said casually, "just as Luna's memories are hers."

"Gawrsh, Sora, I think I'm a little jealous of ya," Goofy said playfully, "How come me and Donald and Jiminy aren't rememberin' some of the stuff from our memories?"

That got Donald very excitable. "Come on, Goofy! Let's get going. We've got to forget things faster."

While Donald and Goofy hurried up the stairs to the next floor, Luna and Medea followed slowly behind Sora and Nero as they started up the stairs, too. However, Sora happened to notice this and slowed down so he find out what the two girls are really thinking about the whole situation; if anything, he felt like he was missing something in all of this.

"Hey, Luna, are you starting to remember anything new?" he asked her out of curiosity, "I'm pretty sure you thought me crazy to think another girl was one of our friends."

"Well…it's not like I doubt your sanity," Luna answered, trying to reassure him of his sound mind, "It's just that hearing there's someone else is a lot to wrap around my head. I mean, I remember that I've been rather ill in my head for years ever since I came to the islands. But I don't think I even recall anything about this girl you talked about."

"Well, then, what about Nero? Do you have any memories about him that you lost?" Sora asked her.

"Why the hell would she? The only brother she ever had in her childhood was her real brother, while everyone else was either a surrogate sibling or a grandpa figure," Medea insisted brazenly. "If she had any other sibling, she would've confirmed it herself."

Luna nodded in agreement. "That's true. If I did have a brother I didn't know about – and that's if I did – then where was he the past ten years, or the years before that when I was but an infant? That's what I would like to know."

Sora didn't bother to argue about that at this point; it gave him reason to believe that perhaps Luna is just a little slower at reaching for deeper memories that are hiding somewhere within the recesses of her mind. Aside from what memories she had, he only barely knew that there are still some memories of hers that are yet to be found due to her persistent trauma lurking within.

Unknown to all of them, though, Nero was listening warily to their conversation. He couldn't help but notice Luna's insistence on not knowing him and Medea's denial about his existence; not helping is that Sora is completely oblivious to what he was missing regarding his introverted friend. If there's still skepticism about his words, perhaps they might need more substantial evidence of his connections as part of the family.

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, Axel and Larxene were watching the whole exchange unfolding as the party proceeded up the stairs to the next floor. They weren't at all surprised that the progression of events were going rather smoothly with their unsuspecting heroes; if anything, things are just going along as they were supposed to.

"Just as we intended," Larxene said gleefully.

Axel nodded. "We'll continue with our plan. Let's see how far this group will go."

He made a move to take his leave and play around with Sora and Luna again, but Larxene immediately stopped him in his tracks.

"You had your fun on the first floor," she said, "So this time, it's my turn."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, she did have a point; he had tested what Sora and Luna are capable of, especially with their friends in tow. Reluctantly, he turned around and tossed the card her way, which she efficiently caught. Excited that she got her way, she gave the card a quick peck before she approached Axel.

"I'm not going to just give it to them," she promised.

"Don't break them," Axel requested with a deadpan tone.

Larxene raised a brow at him. "Well… Do I detect a soft spot?" She rolled her eyes as she walked away from him. "I'm not going to break the toys. I'm not dumb."

"Don't forget. Sora is the key. We're going to need to need him if we're going to take over the Organization," Axel warned her, "Luna is still needed, too, even if she's not part of the plan."

Larxene put her finger up to silence him. "I know that you're in on it, too… But keep it under your hood at least until the time is right."

With a nonchalant wave of farewell, Larxene vanished in a cloud of darkness, leaving Axel alone.

But when she was gone, though, he couldn't help but let out a knowing smirk. He couldn't believe that she had gone through with doing the dirty work like that. He had no doubt that she'll be in for a bit of a surprise when she meets Sora and Luna, even if the operative is walking along with them. Besides, what else would make things a little more fun?

"You would have been wise to have done the same thing, Larxene," he said to himself.

* * *

"So, Sora, did anything back there help ya remember your friend's name?" Goofy asked.

Sora thought about for a bit before he replied, "Her name's the only thing I can't seem to remember."

"You gotta try! Hurry up and remember it so that Luna can remember, too!" Donald pressed him.

"Actually, Sora, you don't have to do that just for my sake…" Luna tried to politely decline.

"Don't worry about it, Luna," Sora reassured her, "Once I remember, I'll let you know her name for real. That way, you can figure it out for yourself when you're ready."

"Perhaps other memories you've missed will come back in the process," Nero agreed eagerly.

"Yeah, well, we still got other places to be, so let's just drop the whole memory shtick for a bit and focus on where we're going next," Medea quickly changed the subject.

That was when Sora pulled out the last of the world cards given to them, knowing that they have only one more to go through before they've reached the halfway point of the castle. This time, the card bore the image of a town that seemed more like something out of children's ghost story than anything else. He certainly had an idea on what this will mean…

"Well, then, let's head on in and see what exciting things we can find," Sora said excitedly as he used the card on the door.

* * *

When they stepped inside the spooky town, the party immediately found that their wardrobes have been changed to better fit the new environment they're in.

Sora is dressed in a black-and-white jumpsuit with white gloves and bat wings protruding from his back, along with black stockings held by red strips of cloth; his face looked like it had been covered in black makeup, fangs are barely visible from his mouth, and a devilish mask is worn over one side of his face.

Luna wore a dark blue, worn-down bridal dress decorated with spider and spider web laced train and her moonstone brooch pinned to the top of her dress; she wore a decorated flower headdress with a translucent purple veil and a net veil over her eyes, and on her arms were worn-down and tattered net gloves and stitches around her arms.

Medea's purple dress turned white with tatters around the skirt hem and the sleeves, and her skin became paler than it was with dark circles under her eyes; her bright red hair and violet eyes remained the same.

Donald had a lot of old mummy bandages wrapped around his body, but his midsection was missing from the rest of him. Goofy went for a man-made monster look with patched clothes and a big screw embedded in his head, complete with a tiny pumpkin on the tip of his nose.

Nero found himself dressed in a tattered black and green hakama with a dark brown sash around his waist; worn-down bandages are wrapped all over his legs and feet, and his skin went whiter than his normal color with dark circles around his eyes; on his forehead is a paper slip with strange symbols inscribed on it whilst held by a nail.

"Is this something that happens when you go to new places?" Nero asked, examining himself.

"It happens sometimes," Luna replied, not too worried about the changes, "It's not the first time we've gone through this sort of thing. And besides, it'll actually feel pretty good once you get used to it."

"Take it from us. If you visit places like this, don't expect to stay yourself," Medea agreed.

"Just don't expect everyone to take us in stride," Sora advised, which was true.

As they passed through the gates into the creepy town, they looked around to see various sizes of haunting houses surrounding a fountain pouring out an eerie green liquid from its mouthpiece, the houses themselves decorated with numerous spooky pumpkins and an iron gate blocking entry outside of the town; a guillotine nestled in a corner, and deadened trees stood crooked like they could very well be hands waiting to snatch anyone who dared to get close.

Goofy looked around nervously and said, "Gawrsh! Don't like the looks of this place. I bet it's crawling with ghosts!"

"Aw, phooey! There's nothing to worry about," Donald didn't believe him. "You won't be spooked if you already know what's coming! Not even real ghosts can frighten us anymore. If they take one look at us, THEY'LL be the ones to run away!"

"You really think so?" Goofy asked.

"Trust me!" Donald insisted confidently.

Medea just rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. The next thing you know, you'll be the first one to scream like a girl."

"Do we even know what might scare us?" Luna asked, uncertain.

They got their answer soon enough when, just as Donald walked over the fountain to prove he has no fear, a tall spindly skeleton in a black and white suit abruptly emerged from the fountain in an eerily flamboyant display for all to see.

"Welcome to Halloween Town!" he greeted with a bright baritone voice.

Sure enough, Donald shrieked in fright as he fell over. "Waaak! A ghost!"

Everybody immediately took up their weapons, ready to fight. But instead, the skeleton just chuckled at the scene he had made from his performance.

"Wow, that was the best shriek I've heard in ages!" he exclaimed jovially. "If you're THAT easy to scare, we're gonna have a great time!" But then he paused, realizing his breach of etiquette. "Sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Jack Skellington! And this is Halloween Town. People around here call me the Pumpkin King! So if you're lookin' for a ghoulishly good time, you've come to the right place."

"Well, we aren't!" Donald fumed angrily, ashamed at his own folly.

"At least I got a first glimpse of how this town works," Nero admitted under his breath.

"I'm not sure if I want to be scared, at least in this place," Luna didn't feel too sure about facing more scares.

"Well, that's too bad, because at the moment, we've got a bit of a problem in Halloween Town," Jack admitted.

"What kind of problem?" Sora asked.

"Well…" Jack started to explain himself.

But then, without a word of warning, a large swarm of Heartless suddenly manifested out of the shadows, surrounding them and clotting the square with their numbers.

Jack, seeing this coming, said, "Like that!"

Sora gave out a startled cry as he took stance against the Heartless.

"Somehow I had a feeling this would happen," Medea groaned in frustration.

Banding together, the party split into different groups to whittle the Heartless down and clear the streets of their presence. Thanks to the unpredictable magic let loose by the Pumpkin King, it was possible to clear out the more annoying gargoyle types that hung around in the sir while everyone took care of the rest. Several magic blasts and blade strikes later, the creepy critters have momentarily ceased their assault and left them with some breathing room to assess the current situation. Though, the duck certainly felt pretty peeved about it, thinking that the appearance of the Heartless was all Jack's doing to try and scare them some more.

"What's the big idea? Why'd you go and call the Heartless?!" Donald demanded, bouncing in anger.

"I didn't call them. I just knew when they were going to show up," Jack explained honestly. "In fact, I'd love to get rid of them. They actually go around attacking people, instead of just scaring them."

"That's terrible! Especially for a town like this," Luna gasped, pitying the problem.

"Yes, indeed," he agreed wholly.

This made Sora curious. "Why are they here?"

"I was just going to go ask Dr. Finkelstein the same question," Jack replied, "I'm heading to his laboratory right now. Follow me!"

As Jack started to walk away toward the laboratory nestled outside of the town, Donald turned over to Sora, uncertain as to whether they should follow along with him after what just happened moments before.

"Sora, what should we do?" he asked.

"I guess we'd better go," Sora answered, wanting to get answers on Halloween Town's issues.

"I agree on this. If what Jack said is true, then maybe there's something dangerous at work that's giving the leader every reason to be concerned," Luna agreed with him.

But Donald wasn't too sure about it. "I don't like this. What if he's leading us right to the Heartless?"

"You're just asking for trouble, duck," Medea warned strenuously. "Do you want to get a heart attack from another scare?"

Suddenly, Jack sprang out of nowhere right into Donald's face. "Bingo! You saw right through me!"

The skeptical duck suddenly squawked with terror at the sudden reappearance right in front of him, jumping for a brief moment before he plummeted to the ground. Medea simply rolled her eyes, unamused at the petty prank that Donald had to suffer from at the hands of the skeleton who orchestrates the scares every year.

"Told ya," she deadpanned.

Nero was in disbelief at the sight. "And this is coming from a duck who claims he isn't scared of anything? What a joke."

Jack just laughed at the prank. "I'm just kidding! Now let's get going."

"That would be a good idea," Luna agreed, not wanting to make any arguments.

This time, for real, the party didn't argue with Jack and followed him up the hill outside of town to the doctor's laboratory for an investigation into the Heartless problem. And besides, the last thing they want is to get another scare out of the Heartless trying to sneak up on them while they are trekking through the town.

* * *

When they arrived at the laboratory, they stepped inside to find a scrawny, wheelchair-bound creature with a large head reading over a giant book while scratching his brain in deep thoughts only he knows about. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be too absorbed in his studies to even realize that there are visitors coming in right through his doorstep. He must be the doctor that Jack spoke about when he brought up the Heartless problem.

"Allow me to introduce Dr. Finkelstein!" Jack announced in introduction. "He's a world-famous genius!"

"Yes! Maybe I'm TOO smart," Dr. Finkelstein grumbled as he turned his wheelchair. "I'm afraid I've created something horrible!"

"What's that?" Donald asked out of curiosity.

"Well…" the doctor paused a moment before he asked a question. "Have you ever stopped to think about the power of 'true memories'?"

That's something Sora never heard about. "True memories!?"

"What do you mean by that?" Luna asked, equally confused about it.

"You see, my children, our hearts are full of memories," the doctor explained, "but not all of them reflect the truth. The heart isn't a recording device. Even important memories change with time. They warp or fade, leaving us with but a shadow of what we hoped to remember."

That worried Sora. "Could that be happening to me?"

"Me, too?" Luna asked nervously.

Dr. Finkelstein shrugged. "It happens to everyone. Some memories grow ugly, and some become more beautiful. If we could recover our true memories, the world would seem completely different. So, I devised a potion from forget-me-nots that brings our true memories back."

That raised a lot of eyebrows in the lab: a potion that can recover true memories? How can such a thing be possible? As tempting as it might be to think that such an innovation could be promising, there's a planted doubt in most of their heads as to whether or not such a project would be safe to dabble into even if it were successful.

Just to be safe, Sora asked, "Did it work?"

The doctor frowned. "Well, that's the problem…"

"As soon as the doctor got a whiff of the potion, Heartless started popping up!" Jack finished for him.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Medea asked sarcastically.

"Sounds like a failed experiment to me," Donald said, jumping to conclusions.

"No! My research is flawless!" the doctor snapped insistently, "I just need another look at the potion to find out what went wrong!"

Dr. Finkelstein shifted his wheelchair away from his book and over to his machine that bubbled a green liquid in a perpetual chain of chemical reactions – but as he did, though, he suddenly looked around the place as though he couldn't help noticing that there's something missing when it shouldn't be.

"Unfortunately…it's vanished," he noticed.

"Maybe somebody swiped it?" Sora wondered.

"If they did, there must be a good reason," Luna guessed.

Dr. Finkelstein growled in frustration. "It must've been Sally!" He turned around. "Jack, you've got to find her and bring my potion back."

"Leave it to me!" Jack replied eagerly.

"Can we tag along?" Sora asked him.

Jack got puzzled about it. "What for?"

"We want to know more about these 'true memories' the doctor keeps talking about," Sora replied.

"I'm rather interested in knowing more about that potion as well," Nero agreed eagerly.

"Excellent! Then let's go find Sally!" Jack said excitedly as he led the way.

As they were leaving the laboratory, the girls couldn't help but feel that there's something shady going on with a memory restoring potion involved in the Heartless mess. If someone stole the potion, there had to be a good reason. Also, why would anybody want to know about 'true memories' that the doctor spoke about? Whatever the subject is about, something about it just didn't sit well for either of them.

"Medea, do you suppose someone feared possible danger that came with the potion?" Luna asked quietly.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll know more about this mess when we talk to Sally," Medea replied cautiously, "And when we do, we could help her get rid of it as soon as possible."

* * *

Their search for the doctor's man-made assistant led them far out of town into the cemetery surrounding a curled hill past the gated walls. Sure enough, from identifying the patchwork job of the female figure looking out at the curled hill, they had found Sally seemingly lost in her thoughts – most likely feelings of dread only she understands very clearly.

"There you are, Sally! I thought I'd find you here," Jack exclaimed in relief.

Surprised from the familiar voice behind her, Sally turned around abruptly to find that the Pumpkin King had brought along six other people that didn't seem familiar to her. As she did so, though, Sora and Luna noticed rather quickly that, as she turned to face them, she appeared to be hastily hiding something behind her back with one arm while trying to hide her fears.

"Who are your friends?" she asked, trying to be nice.

"They're interested in true memories," Jack replied like it's no big deal. "You have the potion, don't you?"

Sally hesitated as she answered, "Well…yes."

Carefully, she moved her arm out and held out a glass bottle filled with the same green liquid that they saw in the laboratory. It's the potion that was in the laboratory before it was stolen. It left no doubt that she was the one responsible for stealing the potion without anyone knowing about until it was too late. But the question is: why did she do it? Was she afraid that someone might misuse it, or was there something to be afraid about?

"Could you give it back?" Jack asked her politely.

"I guess so, if you insist," But Sally was not too sure about it. "But…I'm afraid. All the doctor did was smell it and the Heartless appeared. What if someone drinks it?"

That unnerved Luna a bit. "That is a scary thought, now that you mention it…"

"Are you kidding? What could be more exciting?" Jack said, not getting the point.

Medea gave the skeleton a weird look. "Where the hell's your common sense, bonehead? She's scared, can't you tell?"

"I'm worried, Jack. Isn't there another option?" Sally insisted to him.

Now that was a rather interesting dilemma. As intriguing as it would be to find out what the potion can really do, there is a fair point that there might be a potential hazard if it is used in any way.

Sora turned to Jack, now not so certain about it. "Any ideas, Jack?"

For once, the Pumpkin King had no plan in mind. "I can't think of a thing."

"I say we just take that potion and dump it all somewhere out of reach," Medea proposed.

"Or bury it someplace where nobody can find it," Luna suggested.

"Can anyone think of something better than that?" Nero asked impatiently.

"I can! Give it here!"

At the cue of a deep, sleazy voice, an oversized sentient sack suddenly dropped down from behind Sally, catching her off-guard; just as she turned to see who it is, it roughly knocked her to the side as the potion was forcibly snatched from her hands.

"Oh, no! The potion!" she cried in horror.

But Jack quickly identified who it is, and he wasn't happy about it. "Oogie! You again!"

Oogie just laughed at him. "Jack, where are your manners? I'm just helping you put the potion to good use! You should thank me!" He looked over at his prize. "Well, well. Just one sniff, and the Heartless appeared. What would happen if I chugged the whole thing? THAT would be scary!" He laughed maliciously at the thought. "Poor Jack! You can't hold a candle to Oogie Boogie. Time for Halloween Town to taste pain and despair beyond any nightmare!"

Jack was outraged at this. "Pain and despair? Oogie, you monster!"

However, Oogie Boogie didn't pay any attention to him as he hurried off with the potion in his hand. It was bad enough to hear about the possibility of the potion being dangerous from one smell of the material, but to hear someone intend to consume it for no good reason? That sounds like a bigger disaster than anybody would want to deal with, and that boogeyman will be the first to very likely make the biggest mistake of his monstrous life. And this is something that they're just going to have to put a stop to if they don't want the town to get into any more trouble with the Heartless already being such troublemakers.

"C'mon, Jack! We've got to go after him!" Sora called as he started to follow the trail.

"At least we'll know where he'll be hiding himself," Jack agreed, wanting a little payback for Oogie's trouble.

"I've ripped him apart once; I'll do it again if I gotta!" Medea growled.

* * *

Oogie Boogie's trail left them with Heartless popping out of places just to try and get in their way (probably because the scent of the potion trailed around the air as Oogie ran away with it), but that didn't stop the party from plowing through them just to stay on the boogeyman's trail while it's still hot. After a while, their monster hunt led them straight to Oogie's hideout, a door leading them right into the sentient sack's deadly gambling room where he's still got the potion as he is ready to take it all in if he dared to.

"Oogie! Hand over the potion!" Jack demanded, threatening harm if disobeyed.

"You fools don't know when to quit!" Oogie snarled irritably. But then, a nasty idea crept in his mind. "Say…all this running around is making me thirsty!"

Jack, horrified at this, cried out, "Oogie! No!"

"Yes!" the boogeyman shouted defiantly.

"You don't know what's in it!" Luna implored in a panic as Sora shouted, "Don't do it!"

But it was too late; not heeding the protests of anyone who spoke up against him, Oogie popped open the bottle and chugged down a huge chunk of the potion in one splash before tossing the container aside like it's a nuisance. A gurgling sound could be heard from inside the freak's stomach as he swallowed up the contents without caring about what might be inside the strange concoction, sickening everyone in the room.

Sora didn't like what happened there, and feared the worst. "Oh, no…"

Oogie licked his lips as he savored the flavor. "Ahh! Lip-smacking good!"

But then, not long after he had completed his consumption, something very unsettling happened with him. Without warning, Oogie's confident bullying grin fell apart as his eyes widened with a sense of intense fear and confusion, and his body suddenly began to tremble viciously like he's found himself in the middle of a waking nightmare that he doesn't understand. Worse still, his head is jittering all around the place like he doesn't have a clue what he's doing here and why he's here.

"Agh! What's this?" he screamed, panicked. "What… Something's wrong! Something deep inside me. Something…scary!"

Jack, worried, asked him, "Oogie! What's going on?"

Instead of answering him, Oogie shrieked in horror and shrank back. "No! Get back! Stay away from me!"

"What's going on with him? Why is he scared of us now?" Luna asked, worried about the situation.

"I dunno what the hell's up, but we gotta put him down right now!" Medea replied as she readied her claws.

Despite the fact that Oogie is in an unnatural state of panic, the waddling sack of bugs still managed to make the fight against him rather annoying. Desperate to drive them away, he would toss out dangerous dice blocks that explode like bombs at a moment's notice, which forced everyone to move out of range of the blasts; all the while, there were a few instances where knives would drop from the ceiling to land a hit on them or a saw machine would swing down from one side of the room to the other in an attempt to hack off anyone who is within reach of the blades.

"Stop fighting us! Maybe we can figure something out," Luna tried to reason with the bogeyman.

Unfortunately, her voice of reason fell on deaf ears as Oogie Boogie frantically tossed out more exploding dice blocks at them.

"Jeez, he's too scared to listen to even you," Medea grumbled aloud as she knocked the dice back.

But then, during the fight, Sora noticed something. As they kept forcibly repelling the dice block bombs from them, he realized that the explosions that impact against the gates caused the gratings to lower down with each blast. That's when an idea crossed his mind, one that might help them get up to Oogie's level and finish him off.

"Guys, let the bombs keep coming to us!" Sora ordered, "We just need enough force to force the gate down."

Nero observed what Sora meant, and agreed; "Now that's something smart comin' out of you."

Switching up their strategies, Sora and Luna moved in to handle knocking away the bomb blocks while Donald and Jack kept the normal dice blocks from making a nuisance of themselves with their dual casting of magic; Goofy, Medea and Nero, on the other hand, worked to disable the contraptions dropping down the knives and saw blade before the main two took their chances to bend the gates until enough force brought the whole foundation down. As soon as the gates are destroyed and the platform is open for climbing, Sora and Nero took the chance to get up there; but Oogie just wouldn't let them get any nearer under the influence of his terrors.

"Get back! S-Stay away from me!" he screamed.

Desperate to get them of his sight, Oogie hysterically bombarded them with dice blocks to foce them to leave him alone. But at this point, Nero was getting sick of the bogeyman's nonsense and wanted to see this finished quickly.

"I've had enough of your whining…" he growled in frustration, "Be silent!"

With a whip of his arm, a burst of spherical electric energy shot of his hand and let loose enough bolts of electricity to paralyze Oogie into a stupor before he used his broadsword to slice open the sack's body, subsequently letting loose the bugs he kept inside of his ragged body until it is reduced to nothing more than an empty sack.

But while Oogie may have been reduced to nothing, the same could hardly be said about the bottle that held the potion. It seemed as though the bogeyman had undoubtedly consumed the entire package while he had it in his grasp. Now what are they going to tell the doctor after all that has happened here?

"That damn freak guzzled the whole thing down," Medea sighed annoyingly, "Now what?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to let Dr. Finkelstein know what happened," Jack replied as he picked up the bottle. "He'll be sorely disappointed about this, I'm sure."

"But it is rather disturbing," Luna admitted, thinking on what happened, "It worried me when Oogie began acting very strange. Why was he afraid of us? What made him afraid of us? That's what I would like to know."

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. We'll ask the doctor when we get back."

* * *

As soon as they returned to the laboratory, Dr. Finkelstein immediately began to question them as to what happened when they left to find the potion. Sora and Luna explained that after they found Sally and the potion, Oogie jumped in from the blue and snatched the concoction by force; to make the matter worse, they informed him that Oogie Boogie had swallowed the potion whole just to spite them – only for things to go horrible wrong and that they were forced to fight him in order to put a stop to whatever it is that drove him frighteningly mad after drinking the potion entirely. Needless to say, the doctor was none too pleased at the troubling news they had to share with him.

"Confound that Oogie Boogie! He drank nearly all of my precious potion!" Dr. Finkelstein cursed angrily. "There are only a few drops left!"

Apparently, despite the fact that Oogie consumed the potion, only a few drops remained to be used. However, after all that happened back at the bogeyman's hideout, Sora and Luna didn't feel too sure if it would be a good idea to actually take what's left for their own uses.

Then, Goofy asked them, "Sora, Luna, why don't you ask the doc if you two can drink the rest?"

Sora shook his head. "No. I'd better not."

"I don't even want to," Luna agreed.

The doctor heard this, though. "What, don't you want it? That's too bad. It would've been a great experiment."

"Now, Doctor…" Sally warned.

Jack grew curious, too. "Don't you two want to find out about your true memories?"

"Of course – now more than ever," Sora replied, "But there's this guy – Axel. I promised him I'd find the truth on my own."

"Same here," Luna agreed. Taking the potion would be cheating."

Dr. Finkelstein let it be as he turned back to the bottle. "I just don't understand. When I inhaled the potion, Heartless appeared – and when Oogie drank it, he was overcome with fear. What could it mean?"

"It means the potion was a failure," Sally concluded.

"No! I can't be wrong!" the doctor insisted, "Oogie MUST have found his true memories!" But then, a thought crossed the doctor's mind. "Hmm… True memories must unbalance the heart – and cause unpredictable changes within!"

"Then…what about us?" Sora wondered, "What happens when our true memories awaken? What might happen if Luna's lost memories return?"

Luna and Medea had a suspicion as to where he was going about it; he was talking about the memories that Luna had lost when she arrived at the islands in a severely broken state of mind. They had yet to uncover what other memories she might've lost that broke her like they did years prior, or what events caused them for that matter.

"Perhaps something even more terrifying," the doctor guessed, "But this is all just a hypothesis. I can't be sure without further research."

That unnerved the two teens a bit when they heard the implications of something sinister if the potion is used, something that Jack certainly took notice of.

"What's wrong, you two? Does the doctor's theory scare you?" he asked.

"Well, yeah – a little," Sora replied nervously.

"Actually, it frightens me a lot," Luna confessed, unnerved at the ideas.

"That's good to hear!" Jack said cheerfully, "Fear and doubt are the signs of a strong heart. They push your heart, strike out in new directions, take chances! Without them, your zest for life might fade…as would your taste for fear. And believe me, that would really ruin my fun."

Sora smiled. "Thanks, Jack. We'll remember that."

"Then good luck, ladies and gentlemen!" the Pumpkin King cheered, "May you always enjoy being frightened!"

Unknown to everyone in the room, as they were discussing about the perils of the potion and the concept of true memories, Nero had been staring in contemplation at the bottle sitting idly on the lab table. Although he had seen the disasters that came when Oogie drank the potion and learned the reason the Heartless came to be due to the scent alone, he couldn't help but wonder why anyone would be so frightened over something as trivial as a potion that could've been useful if given the chance. He couldn't help but feel curiosity as to what the potion could do if it hadn't been waster by the clumsiest of hands…

* * *

As the party started to make their way out of Halloween Town, it didn't take long for them to notice that Nero wasn't with them when they had left the laboratory. What was holding him up while they left?

"You gotta be kidding me!" Donald squawked furiously, "We've already dealt with the potion problem. What gives?"

"How the hell should we know?" Medea snapped back, "It's not like we're supposed to babysit him or something!"

Sora turned to Luna. "Do you have any ideas as to what he'd be doing?"

Luna shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, I know he's been insistent on being my brother, but this? I don't know what he's doing."

In no time at all, Nero came back out of the laboratory in a hurry like he had completely forgotten he was left behind. This raised a few eyebrows when he returned to them oblivious to the frustrations and confusion of the party that were about to go look for him when he didn't follow everyone out.

"What kept you, Nero? We were about to leave," Donald called him out on it.

"Sorry, sorry, I lost myself in thoughts after we brought the potion back," Nero replied innocently, "The doctor's theories were just rather difficult to wrap around my head, that's all."

Medea glared at him suspiciously. "Oh, really? It makes me wonder where your brain was when we were told that what the doc said is only a theory that he can't conclude without further research."

"I dunno what happened, but do us a favor and don't make us worry like that again," Sora requested of him, "We still have to keep going up the castle, you know."

"Don't worry. I won't do it again, honest," Nero assured them as they started to leave the town.


	14. Chapter 13: Riku vs Riku?

**Surprise! Bet you didn't expect me to post another chapter after just one day, eh?**

 **Then again, I just have too much time on my hands.**

 **And I'm pretty sure someone can guess from the title of this chapter what's going to show up here. It's really a no-brainer.**

 **Also, if this feels a lot shorter than my last few chapters, I am sorry about that in advance. There wasn't too much to work with, so I just made the most of it and made my juice to the best of my ability (if that was a bad comparison, feel free to call me out on it).**

 **Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To iwaskitten: Don't you worry. Larxene will be on her way after this segment. And at least I'm keeping you in suspense. :)**

 **I own nothing if Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Riku versus…Riku?

"This is very peculiar."

Riku looked over to his companion. "What's up?"

"I've half a mind to wonder why we haven't seen anyone yet," Noir admitted, looking around. "We had run into Vexen a while ago, and he raised quite a fuss when he claimed he acquired data from us. I wonder what he might be doing with it after we met him."

"Honestly, if we learned he did do something screwy, I'd lose my mind," Riku agreed.

After their misadventure in Traverse Town, Riku and Noir were greeted again by the lonely halls of the castle – but suspiciously, they haven't encountered anything out of the ordinary after their skirmish with Vexen a few floors prior. Ansem hasn't arrived to harass them with his annoying rants on the darkness either, which raised a few red flags for them as they started their way up the stairs. In fact, they almost wanted to believe that nothing else could go wrong for them on their way up.

But when they've reached the top of the stairs reaching the hall that leads to the next floor of the basement, Riku suddenly let out a confounded gasp of shock, which startled Noir in the process as she tried to process that something caught her younger partner's attention.

"Who are you supposed to be?!" Riku demanded.

When she followed where Riku was looking, Noir got herself a huge surprise when she found that the new visitor coming to see them is…Riku!? That can't be right! Riku is right here, and he doesn't know what the heck is going on. Who is that boy on the other side that looks far too alike to the real deal?

The look-alike noticed their shock and answered, "Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you."

Yep. The look-alike confirmed it. He has the same face, the same silvery hair, the same eyes, and the same build as the real Riku, all of it down to a science. But if there is one thing the both of them noticed regarding the uncanny doppelganger, it's that his personality is a far cry from the real one; if anything, he might as well be acting like the Riku before Maleficent's machinations and Ansem's temptation on him with the promise of power. For all they know, it could be a lot worse than this.

The other Riku gave his explanation to the real one. "I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact replica of you that Vexen made from your data."

Horrified, Noir couldn't help asking, "What is this madness?"

Riku didn't feel impressed in the slightest. "So you're a fake me."

That got the replica riled up. "Not a 'fake'! I don't care if you're real! You're not better! We share the same body and the same talents. But there is one easy way to tell us apart, though!"

A momentary silence permeated the hall as Riku and Noir waited to hear what the so-called difference is that this replica wanted to point out to them. But what he says next would twist the knife for someone.

With a smug smile, he answers, "Unlike you, I fear nothing."

This time, it's Riku who gets upset. "Are you calling me a coward?"

"You're afraid of the dark! The darkness inside still frightens you, no matter what you say," the replica mocked him mercilessly, "But I'M different. I embrace the darkness. I can make it do whatever I want." At that moment, a dark aura surrounds him as he brandishes the macabre armor that Riku would otherwise use as a last resort, and then summoned his own Soul Eater into his hand, ready to fight. "So…I can wipe the floor with you!"

"You wouldn't dare…!" Noir threatened.

"Let me handle this one."

When she heard Riku say this, she turned to him in concern as she asked, "Are you sure?"

He looked at her, nodding in confirmation while maintaining the face of someone with injured pride. Understanding that this is a very personal fight he wants to engage in, Noir stepped back to the sidelines as she witnessed the one-on-one fight taking place.

Fortunately for her, it was easy to tell apart the real Riku from the copy that just came into existence through their battle. Noir noticed that even though the Riku replica does have the same physical prowess of a raw athlete and the dark powers that were gained from tapping into the element itself, he didn't appear to have the proper time to build up what he was given in contrast to the real Riku, who she had seen is able to make the most of what he had on him that he learned prior to arriving at the castle and then some. Not only that, but she also detected that the dark armor the copy snug into hadn't worn off even after he expended much of his powers whereas Riku mostly remained in his own clothes until he chose to tap into a fraction of his dark power; even then, he never kept the armor on for long.

And thank goodness there wasn't any worry about how long the fight will take; because the real Riku had more combat experience than the copy, he ultimately triumphed…at least, for the moment.

"Hey, Fake! I thought I heard you say that you were gonna wipe the floor with me," Riku taunted.

The replica let out a scoff as he got up. "Don't forget, I'm still new. I'll get stronger and stronger. The next time we fight, you're finished!"

"Then let's fight now!" Riku demanded.

Charging toward the replica, he jumped in the air as though to strike from above – only for a barrier to form around the copy, sending the real Riku flying away and landing on the hard floor disgracefully. Horrorstruck and fearing for his safety, Noir immediately broke away from the sidelines and hurried over to his side to support him.

"Riku, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded, cringing at the rough landing. "I've had worse…"

The replica, seeing the results of what he did, laughed aloud at the humiliation the real one suffered as he recovered unharmed.

"It's nice having darkness on my side," he said with pride, "You are SO missing out. How could you be scared of something that can be so thrilling?"

But Noir grew sick of this nonsense. "Replica or no, you know nothing! The dark is not a toy to play with unless you've learned how it works properly."

The replica rolled his eyes at her argument. "And how would you know about that, lady? Were you hiding under a rock before you even got here to begin with?"

"Enough!" Riku put a stop to the insults before it got worse. "She's not like you."

Now his attention reverted back to Riku, scoffing at his defiance. "So now the coward is playing tough, and yet he's still hiding behind an old woman." He started to turn away. "So long, Real Thing. Hope you don't miss me."

"Come back!" Riku shouted.

But it was too late. The replica had already run off up the stairs and disappeared from sight, leaving Riku and Noir to pick up the pieces after the scuffle that occurred and the bullying words tossed in their faces.

Frustrated at the insults, Riku clicked his tongue bitterly. "No way. I'm not a coward…"

Noir had no words to say about the situation, but she did feel hurt at the harsh comments directed at her. She did speak the truth to a degree, but she never thought she'd hear someone think they are better than everyone else; if anything, she felt quite sure that Vexen never told that copy he created about her ability before he let him loose on them. What arrogance drives them to think that they can master something that they don't completely understand?

"That fake shouldn't have said it."

Her mind is brought back to reality when she heard him talk to her. "Pardon?"

"The fake me…he doesn't know you," Riku clarified to her, "He hasn't even seen what you can do. That's his problem."

She sighed deeply. "I appreciate the consolation, really I do. But honestly, I know that I was telling him the truth. He just doesn't understand what he's dealing with. And if you ask me, I blame Vexen for his lack of manners. All those insults and boasts he gave – why, he's no better than a local bully."

Riku nodded in agreement; his copied self definitely had some serious issues that they couldn't ignore, more so since he couldn't help noticing similarities with his past self. It made him sick to his stomach just listening to his insulting him on his cowardice and his berating on his partner when she was only trying to warn him on the consequences of his attitude. If he ever found that fake again, he'll certainly want to dole out a little payback on him for belittling him and wrongly prejudicing Noir without asking her questions.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the meeting room of the basement, Vexen, Lexaeus and Zexion were waiting for results on the researcher's creation when the replica returned to them at a moment's notice. They could tell that he was enjoying himself after the encounter with the real Riku, since he came back with hardly any problems.

"So, how was the real thing?" Vexen asked him.

"He's spineless. In no time at all, I'll be better than him," the replica replied dismissively.

Intrigued, Vexen asked him, "In the meantime, would you be interested in meeting another who's considered a hero?"

He knew where this was going. "You mean Sora. I hear he's somewhere in the castle, dragging along someone else with him. You want me to take care of him?"

The scientist couldn't help internally reveling at the idea of what his creation could do to turn things around. Although Marluxia is doing his work, forcing the memories of Sora and Luna to be shuffled with the aid of their designated operative, he wondered if the copy might be useful in catching one of them before the schemer got his way. The things he could do to further his studies on the subjects in the castle…

"We'll see… Yes…" he mused aloud, "I intend to make good use of you."

The replica gave a smug smirk. "No worries. The real Riku was nothing. Sora won't be either. They're no match for me."

From a distance, Zexion couldn't help shaking his head at the spectacle. Now that Vexen has tested his creation and intends to make his next move, it stands to reason that there's not much else that can be done. However, with Vexen preoccupied with stalling Marluxia, that would help him and Lexaeus keep watch on matters from their position. Perhaps he could steal some time to review the data and make his own plans once he's found the spare time to do so; it's not like the members upstairs will notice anything the instant a wrench is thrown in the works, right?

* * *

By the time they reached the top of the stairs to the next floor, it is clear to them that the replica is nowhere to be found. It was very frustrating after what happened back there, more so in Riku's case because that infernal copy kept insisting that he's better than the real thing and called him a coward more than once. And then belittling Noir for no good reason after she rightfully called him out on his warped opinion? That's even worse.

"Come out! Show yourself, Fake!" he shouted.

 _"_ _Fake? Oh, no… That's not exactly the right word."_

Now there's a familiar voice neither of them are too happy to hear in the halls. Spawning from the darkness, Ansem made his second appearance, proud as usual; however, his devilishly narrowed eyes and smug smile let them know that he had been enjoying the show when the replica took the stage before he opted to make himself known again. If anything, he's looking for another excuse to harass Riku into accepting the darkness even after he had been told otherwise several floors earlier.

"You again, Ansem…" Noir groaned bitterly.

"What are you saying? Isn't he just a copy of me?" Riku asked angrily.

"More like a model," Ansem replied, "He is an example of what you should try to be. He accepts the darkness…just like you couldn't help but accept me. But now you are afraid. Perhaps YOU are the one who is being fake. Fake when you pretend to have no fear."

Noir shook her head in chagrin. "A model… If only you saw his lack of basic etiquette, then you'd think twice about calling that…thing…an example."

Riku wasn't buying Ansem's shtick either. "When have I been afraid of the dark?"

"Inside of the card-worlds, you grappled desperately with the darkness," Ansem replied callously, "Desperation is fear. You fight the darkness because it is what frightens you."

At this point, Riku has gotten sick of being regarded like a coward after having heard enough insults from the replica; he brandished his blade and made to charge right at Ansem.

"Be quiet!"

However, just like the first time, when he charged in to land a blow on Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness blocked off the attack and forced him away without breaking a sweat. But this time, though, Riku was able to catch himself as he landed on the floor without needing Noir to help him back up. When he was done toying with the boy, Ansem just shook his head at the pitiful annoyance that won't listen.

"Stubborn boy," he sighed. He threw another card at Riku, which he caught at once. "Continue your fight, if you must. Eventually, you will learn. You cannot resist the darkness."

When Ansem vanished back into the darkness that he came from, Riku couldn't help letting out a little growl of irritation at this man's persistence in believing he could get his way. What is it with these people here and their obsession with the dark? It's starting to get on his nerves that there would be people who are really hell-bent on convincing him to just give in to what had almost hurt him and his friends before. And besides, he'd rather not have any part in this mess after all the trouble of getting out of the realm of darkness.

"He thinks he can just convince me back in…" Riku scoffed bitterly, "I'll show him. I'll show him he doesn't know what I want."

"Riku, I know this is all upsetting you. Believe me, I'm just as irritated as you are that he's trying to bully you," Noir said to him, trying to ease him as she held his shoulders. "I still don't fully understand who this Ansem thinks he is, but if I know one thing for sure, it's that he has a bloated ego that clouds even his own understanding of the darkness."

"Then why is he still driven to tempt me?" he asked, "The only thing he wants to play puppet master with me again! Why would I want him to after what he attempted to –"

"Riku! Enough!" Noir interrupted him fiercely.

The instant she raised her voice, Riku immediately fell silent, a bit stunned that she actually got him to shut up for a moment. But she wasn't finished with him yet; though she's calmed down a bit after her little outburst, her hard gaze let him know that she has something to say about the matter and she's not going to tolerate any interruptions.

"Now, listen to me, Riku. You're upset. You're angry. I understand that," she continued firmly, "I am just as upset about Ansem and the events that have transpired as you are now. But getting angry about it is not going to resolve things. We just have to keep using the cards and proceed onwards. And should we find another person who wants to spill the same nonsense on us, then we'll do what we have to do if they don't step aside. The only thing that should matter to you is that you want to find your friends, and that you want to return home with them. You are you, and you alone have the right to decide what you want do with yourself. That alone is your choice to make, not anyone else. Do I make myself clear?"

Funny enough, he knew that she had a good point. He got himself into this business, he wanted to get through this place alive, he wanted to find Sora and Luna; those were his choices, and so far he stuck with them. So why is he letting other people like Ansem or Vexen get under his skin like that? They don't know what he really wants. After all, didn't he swear that he would fight the darkness on his own terms? Yes, he did. And he had help; Mickey has let him know that he supports his fight, and Noir has been of great help to him since their first meeting. He wanted to keep up the fight until he knows for sure that he's beaten his own darkness.

Unknowingly, he let out a surprised chuckle. "Wow. When was the last time I got a hard pep talk like that?"

Noir gave a small laugh. "Honestly, I haven't been this firm to other people in years. I guess I've gotten too soft at some point."

"Yeah, well, if you were too soft, you wouldn't have called me out like you did now," Riku pointed out. "If you ask me, you're acting like you are my mother even though you're not related to me."  
"I'll take that as a compliment," she decided lightheartedly, "if you're that eager to make a comparison."

Actually, her one-on-one talk and afterwards really helped him get his head together when he was having some problems to sort out. It's a weird thought, but her standing in as the maternal figure didn't feel burdensome to him; if anything, she managed to be the best support within the castle.

Though, he still has some questions for her that he'll want to bring up to her when there's an open opportunity. He does want to know what she's really after inside the castle and what secrets she's kept hidden, even from him. Beneath the innocent curiosity and the motherly gentleness, he felt certain that there is a Pandora's Box that she carries about herself, and it's only a matter of time before she spills something or he finds out on his own. However, he opted against trying to pry information out of her for now; there are other worlds they have to go through, and he knows that he'll find a chance to have a personal talk with her later.


	15. Chapter 14: Larxene and Memories

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **Did everyone have a good Christmas, or a good holiday so far? No need to give me details, I don't want to be nosy. ;)**

 **Anyway, things are getting a lot crazier at this point in the story. But if you think this chapter is nuts, wait until you see the next one. You won't expect it...**

 **So then, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Larxene and Memories

"Hey, Luna? Have you ever noticed something with your Guardian?"

When she heard Sora's out-of-place question, Luna quickly shifted her attention to him with a confused look on her face.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean, have you ever noticed that Medea's been more and more active lately?" Sora rephrased his question, "I hardly see her return to your shadow even after a hard battle. Doesn't that sound a little fishy?"

Truth be told, she hadn't really thought about it. If there was something changing with Medea, she would've noticed these signs herself. In fact, she hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary after their victory against Ansem, and certainly not before they sealed the keyhole to a castle they've been to twice before. Maybe she should consider asking her Guardian about it when she has the chance, if just to make sure that there's nothing wrong with her.

"It hasn't crossed my mind," Luna confessed, "Maybe the changes are minimal, and I wasn't paying attention. I'll ask Medea about it when we find a breather on the next floor."

Sora gave her a nod of agreement, knowing that they've just returned from another of the card-worlds, and decided to just let the subject slide until his friend has investigated her protector's situation personally.

However, just before they could keep moving, the party is greeted by a blond woman coming down the stairs; and this woman, from what they can tell, is wearing the same black coat like Axel. But something about her just didn't sit right for any of them; it's almost as though something malicious is radiating off her, unseen yet noticeable from eye contact – so much so that, from the moment she came within their general vicinity, everyone suddenly summoned their weapons and armed themselves for a possible fight.

Donald certainly had suspicions about her. "I bet you work with Axel!"

The woman smirked. "Too clever. I'm Larxene. So…" She folded her arms. "Are you enjoying your stay at the castle? I bet it's nice to peel away all the worthless memories and awaken the true memories…that lie deep within your heart."

Sora and Luna looked at one another, confused, and back to Larxene.

"True memories?" Sora questioned her.

"Those words again…" Luna remembered.

"Although…it seems that you're both still forgetting the most important thing here," Larxene continued, mocking them at every chance. "When that poor girl hears that you've forgotten her name, why…it'll just…it'll just break her heart." Her gaze moves over to Luna. "Oh. I nearly forgot. As I recall, somebody's due for a family reunion. Do tell me: have your memories of your unknown brother returned to you? You're certainly giving him a hard time insisting you don't know him. Isn't that right, Nero?"

Nero didn't say anything, holding his sword tightly as his fingers began to twitch slightly.

"But I meant it. When did I ever have another brother?" Luna protested.

Medea noticed the tension and began to feel very annoyed. "Look, lady, you're just wasting our damn time! Just cut to the chase and spill out your intentions!"

But Sora, not paying attention to what's going on, was too focused on trying to understand what that rude woman was talking about.

"Poor girl?" he wondered about it for a moment. But then, when he remembered that she was meaning the blond girl in his memories, he suddenly wanted to know more. "Do you know her?!" The smirk on her face spoke volumes. "Is she…here?"

"Yes, she is. You see, the bad guys are holding her captive somewhere deep inside the castle – where your friend's brother managed to escape," Larxene replied tauntingly, "And you are obviously the hero, so you have to go save her. Although…"

Without warning, Larxene suddenly rushed up at Sora, catching him off-guard as he tried to block her unarmed attacks. But she successfully landed a hard kick to his stomach, causing him to tumble backwards as a yellow start-shaped trinket flew briskly out of his pocket and clatter onto the floor. A horrified Luna hurried over to his aid to make sure he's alright, but Medea's gaze focused on the trinket on the floor; disbelief crossing her face from not knowing what that thing is that came out of Sora's pocket.

"What the hell is that?" Medea asked, confounded at the sight.

Larxene didn't care about the confusion; she just set herself back straight and looked down on the two teens.

"I'M a bad guy, so you have to go through me!" she finished her sentence.

"Sora!" Goofy panicked, worried for his friend.

"Sora, are you okay?" Luna asked him worriedly, "Does it hurt?"

His gaze, upon noticing the sight of the yellow star, had trouble understanding what's right there in front of him.

"What's that?" he asked, "Is that thing mine?"

Larxene let out a false gasp of shock. "What a shame…You've been wearing it all this time and forgot about it? No… That's not possible. The memory has to be engraved somewhere inside your heart. Sora – think carefully, now. What oh what could it be? And who gave it to you?"

Desperate to know what he had forgotten all this time, Sora struggled to find the words that would fill in the blanks to the surfacing memories that he kept gaining, keeping his eyes on the star as he tried very hard to figure out what he had forgotten – no, who he had forgotten, and that start had something to do with it.

As he's struggling with his words, Larxene asked Luna, "By the way, dearie. I just remembered something. Here's a question for you: what was the name of that precious stone you were given? I'm sure it had to be something radiant, wouldn't you think?"

Luna's brow rose, perplexed at her question. "The precious stone…?" She looked down at her brooch. "It's the…" She knew what she wanted to say, but when she looked down at the stone in her brooch, she was dumbstruck when she found a yellow-red stone instead of the silvery gem she had memory of. "What the –"

"Oh. That's right. Nero never told you about it, did he? How improper of him!" the blond woman interrupted callously, "Well, you'll have loads to talk about while you're still here. But before we go any further, let's see how your little friend is coming along on remembering the important thing in his life, shall we?"

Before Luna could ask any questions about the mysterious transformation of her bauble, she could hear Sora struggling to piece together what sounded almost like a name – one that didn't sound familiar to her at the moment. All the while, Larxene seemed to be enjoying the show, eagerly anticipating the grand reveal that would turn the whole adventure upside-down; though, she did seem to be a bit too eager for the twist to come into play…

"Na… Na…mi…"

"Sora…Sora… You're getting it now!" Larxene pressed him excitedly, "Release the memory from within your heart!"

As Sora started to get up, the name started to come back to him, clearer and clearer as he finally spilled out who it is that gave him the charm.

"Nami…" Then, he remembered. "Namine."

That baffled almost everyone in the room. Namine? Who would actually possess that type of name, and is it someone familiar or not? Sora seemed convinced that he had finally remembered who it was that felt important to him, considering how he seemed to be fixated on the charm still on the floor.

The sadistic blond gave a sarcastic clap. "Well, it's about time. That's right…Namine. Yes, she's the one who gave you that tacky good luck charm." She picked up the trinket from the floor. "Not that you bothered to remember. No surprise, seeing as you couldn't remember her NAME." She laughed mockingly. "Talk about heartless! I can't believe you! It'd serve you right if I decided to smash this piece of junk!"

She raised her arm like she intends to throw the charm against the floor and break it into many pieces. But then, to her greatest shock, Sora instinctively jumped right at her and knocked her hand off the charm, all the while fiercely snatching it back into his hand and clutching it close to his chest protectively; this sudden attack forced Larxene backwards as she recovered from her surprise at the unforeseen results from messing around with him and his pals. But Sora didn't seem to care what she's thinking; he's just angry that someone would have the gall to destroy something precious to him!

"Namine gave me this. It's very important to me!" Sora snapped at the bully.

Now upset at the outburst, the blond woman was getting sick of it. As she readied herself for a fight, crackles of electricity sparked around her, and she instantly summoned small knives that she kept clutched between her fingers like the claws of a dangerous predator ready to go for the prey.

"Oh, it's important to you? Ten seconds ago, you didn't know what it was!" she hissed angrily.

"Just you wait! You'll be mincemeat in less than ten seconds!" Medea growled as she brandished her claws.

"We're tired of your bullying," Luna warned angrily, "Get out, or we'll make you!"

Fighting against Larxene is almost like trying to hunt down an unchecked speedy predator that can sneak up on them if they're not careful. Like a wild animal, she will sporadically teleport in close enough to slash at them with her knives like the claws of a beast; otherwise she didn't hesitate to fling her blades as projectiles from a distance. Not helping their situation is the bouts of thunderbolts she rains down on them when they least expect it, making it a little hard to stay in one place a majority of the time. Worse still, the battle against her makes it clear that she's nowhere near as lenient as Axel was when they fought against him, and it's not just because she's behaving like a sadist.

Although Sora and Nero are more capable fighters when dealing with the vicious vixen, both of the boys find themselves having a bit of a problem when she uses her teleports to cut them down from another angle. In Sora's defense, though, it was his first time fighting a fast opponent since most of the enemies they faced were either idiotic slowpokes or brutes in different senses of the words. Nero, however, seemed to be a bit distracted when he tried to assist in the fight; it's almost like being around this woman bothered him to no end.

But since she doesn't care about Nero's presence, Larxene took the opportunity to take another jab at Sora and toy with him a little more, but with a little something different for him to think about while he's here.

"Well, Sora, what are you going to do now?" Larxene mocked sarcastically, "Are you going to remind Luna about that friend you forgot about? I wonder how much she remembers before all the tragedies destroyed her memories."

Hearing the slight mention of Luna's memories seemed to aggravate Sora somewhat, as he got more aggressive in attacking her head-on. He couldn't believe that she had the gall to make mockery of one of his closest childhood friends!

"Stop talking like you know my friend!" he snapped at her.

She simply rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, right. You never knew what she's been through, haven't you? I wonder how much she forgot all those years ago."

Luna, who had been trying to use her Shadow Hands to block off any lightning bolts coming down, couldn't help hearing mention of her as their enemy clashed against Sora. In fact, thinking back on that woman's behavior and appearance, she could've sworn she'd seen her face before…but where? Acting quickly, she flicked her right arm in Larxene's direction and summoned more Shadow Hands to attempt to detain her; though it didn't work, it did get her attention long enough to get a question out.

"You – Larxene, is it? Tell me, how do you know my name?" Luna interrogated, "Who told you about me?"

Despite the pressing questions tossed her way, the savage woman didn't seem to be remotely interested in talking to her at the moment. But the suspicious knowing smirk on her lips left a clue that she did know something…

"Ooh…sorry, sweetie. But I'm not spilling the beans yet," Larxene replied smugly, "I'm afraid you'll have to ask someone else if you want to know for now." But then she readied her blades to go after Luna next. "But not before I get play with you."

Before she could get her opening on Luna, she got a surprise when Medea suddenly got the jump on her and threw her across the room, sending her backwards and sending her against the wall. It may not have killed her (not like anyone expected her to), but it certainly forced her to recognize that she should've been paying attention to the additional misfits in addition to the primary targets.

"Cut the bullying and get outta here, you cockroach!" Medea hissed angrily.

With Medea's interference messing things up, this gave Sora enough of an advantage to get at her and force her away a good distance even though she did make one more effort to deter him from coming after her. This became a warning that she's gotten bored of them, and she knows she'll have to take her leave as soon as possible before any of them come after her again.

"You're not as bad as I thought," she commented, "You really are a hero. A heartless hero."

"Who asked you?!" Sora retorted angrily.

"Oh, does it hurt because it's the truth?" Larxene taunted him, "You are just a baby. And if you're gonna be a baby, then here ya go."

As she continued her insults, she pulled out a card from her pocket and tossed it at them without caring who caught it. Naturally, Sora did, and they could tell that they have more places they'll be exploring further in the castle.

"I created another card from your memories, you know," she boasted, "Be good children and say 'thanks'. Ta-ta!"

"Wait, Larxene!" Sora demanded.

But any chance to stop her and question was derailed because she left in a flash without giving them room to go after her. Despite this, Sora felt more frustrated and angry than he usually would because of the way that witchy woman would mock and taunt him and Luna, and the fact that she had something to do with Namine being somewhere in the castle.

"Where are you? Don't you dare hide from me!" Sora shouted aloud, "Show yourself!"

Donald and Goofy, after all the trouble that happened, really didn't know what to do about Sora at this point. But there are others that really want him to get his head back into reality before they have more problems on their hands. Even Jiminy tried to reason with him, feeling the constant pressure of not falling out of his hood.

"Sora, calm down! She's not coming back," Jiminy implored him sternly.

After a moment, he stopped flailing around like a child and cooled down enough that most of the party stepped in to make sure he's really doing okay after the ordeal.

"Sora?" Goofy asked first, trying to check on him.

"You finally calm down now?" Medea asked dryly.

Sora shook his head. "I hate this… Why'd I need someone like that to bring back…Namine's memory?"

"Namine, huh? So that's the name of your friend?" Donald mused, curious about the development. "At least you remember who she was called. Who cares what the bad guys are saying?"

"What I'd like to know is why the hell that cockroach had to bully us like that," Medea argued.

Nero let out an annoyed scoff. "She's not that different from those guys. They're the reasons we're stuck here right now, and they have Namine kept inside."

Luna turned to Sora, a little worried for him. "Sora…is what you're remembering really right? Is Namine the other friend you've spoken about for a while? I had no idea what to make of those new memories that came to you, but now I'm not sure what to believe."

He shrugged a bit, still reeling from the events. "What else could it be? I remember more about her, and yet you're not quite there yet. Maybe…maybe you just need more time. If we keep going, then maybe we'll remember more things about her and figure out how she got here to begin with."

As much as she wanted to believe what Sora is trying to tell her, Luna had her own questions that she'll want answered as soon as she gets a chance; such as, for instance, the mysterious change in the stone she carried in her brooch she always wore on her. She felt sure that she had a moonstone held securely in gold. But what on earth was that differently colored rock that replaced the one she had familiarity with for several years? Did it just appear out of nowhere like that charm that flew out of Sora's pocket as he remembered Namine's name? Or was there something else going on she didn't know?

* * *

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, Axel stood by waiting when he noticed that Larxene had just returned from her playtime with Sora and Luna. She seemed to have had a lot of fun, he could tell from her carefree gestures as she stretched her arms a bit; the most he had to worry about was just how far she went with playing around with the two kids.

"Whew… Throwing that battle wore me out," Larxene sighed amusingly.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Really? It looked to me like you just plain lost."

That sarcastic response angered her. "How dare you! You don't appreciate the nuances of –"

"An ungainly effort."

Turning their attention away from one another, Axel and Larxene got an uninteresting surprise when Vexen appeared from the dark and greeted them personally. Just what was he doing here, when he was supposed to be keeping tabs on matters downstairs? That's what they want to know now that he's here intruding on their business.

"How could you be humbled by someone of limited significance?" Vexen chastised mockingly, "You shame the Organization."

Larxene gave a little growl at the comment, but then Axel stepped in, curious as to what their elderly colleague is doing visiting them at this time.

"How can we help you, Vexen?" he asked casually, "It's not very often we see you topside."

"I came to lend you a hand," Vexen replied, getting to the point. "You obviously believe this Sora has much potential, but I remain unconvinced he's truly worth such coddling. I think an experiment would show if he really is of any value to us."

Larxene scoffed at this, knowing where this is going. "Well, here we go again. It's just an excuse so that you can carry out your little experiments. That's all."

"I'm a scientist. Experiments are what I do, yes," Vexen replied with a creepy smirk.

"Whatever. You can do what you want," Axel said, not caring about what will happen next. "But you know, I think testing Sora is really a cover for testing your valet."

The scientist didn't take the last comment well. "Valet? He's the product of pure research."

"What he actually is is a toy," Larxene rebuked.

"You should just learn to be quiet," Vexen hissed defensively.

Axel shook his head. Knowing that the creepy scientist is not going to back down on his intentions – and thinking that this might make things in the castle more interesting – he thought it might be a little fun to indulge the old man on his hair-brained scheme and see what happens once he introduces what he's brought to the table for use.

"Anyway… Since you came all this way, you're gonna need this," he said as he pulled a card and handed it to Vexen. "A humble gift to my elder. I hope you use it to put on a good show for us." As Vexen examined it, the redhead clued him in on what it is. "That card holds the memories of Sora and Riku's home, also as Luna's adopted home."

As they were talking, another person arrived on the scene noticing them discussing. From what Axel and Larxene can tell, that boy – who certainly does bear a likeness to that of Riku – is the experiment he created from what he had found with the boy moving along elsewhere in the castle. The only difference they can see, really, is that he has the dark armor on him rather than what the actual Riku would've had on him prior to the destruction of the islands. Perhaps there's a reason he was brought here with the scientist after all…

Apparently, Riku Replica noticed the card and didn't see value in it. "It's just a card. What good is that?"

"With a little help from Namine, you'll have all the real Riku's memories," Larxene explained nonchalantly, "Maybe we can get her to make you forget you're nothing but a fake. In other words, we'll remake your heart so you can be exactly the same as the real Riku, 'kay?"

After hearing about all this, the replica was able to put two and two together as to what Larxene was talking about. He was being brought up here after being tested on the real person he was copied from, all so that they can rework him as they saw fit for their own gains! And they have someone who can do just that for them if they so wished it? What insanity is this that he got himself into?

"You want to remake my heart?!" he asked in disbelief, "The real Riku is a wimp who's afraid of the dark! What do I want with the heart of a loser?!"

"Any objections, Vexen? After all, you do want to test Sora, don't you?" Larxene asked the researcher, ignoring what the replica questioned.

Vexen, eager for the opportunity, agreed to it. "It must be done."

The replica grew angry about the betrayal. "How can you? Are you betraying me?!"

"I told you I would make good use of you, didn't I?" Vexen reprimanded.

"No –"

"Relax, kiddo. I don't think it's going to hurt that much!" Larxene falsely assured him.

But the replica was not having any of this madness. Outraged at the betrayal and at the people that swayed this, he summoned his blade and made to get after the woman first.

"I'll hurt YOU!" he yelled as he charged right towards her.

But just before he could even land a hit on her, Larxene used her thunder to blast him away, leaving him paralyzed from the shock of being electrocuted in mere seconds. All the while, she laughed menacingly at the pathetic fall of the creation that dared to try and oppose them when they already made the final verdict on his fate.

"Stupid little toy! Think you could defeat me?" she asked, mocking his resistance, "Where would you ever get a thought like that?"

Now helpless under circumstances beyond his control, the replica could only cower in fear as the savage blond approached him maliciously.

"But – look on the bright side," she continued, "Along with everything else in your head, Namine will erase the memory of me knocking you flat. Instead, she will implant you with the loveliest little memories you could ever hope for! It's no big deal that they're all lies."

As Larxene approached him with the intent of bending him to their objectives, the replica could only cower in horror at the fate that he had now been sealed into against his will. From afar, seated off in a corner in the room, the girl in white – now identified as Namine – could only gasp in terror at the fact that she is about to trifle with the mind of someone who clearly didn't ask for the treatment that he had gotten from the people who only viewed him as a tool for their own gains.


	16. Chapter 15: Luna vs Zexion

**Let's see if I nailed the curve ball.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **To iwaskitten: Oh, don't worry. I can be cruel, but I'm not THAT cruel.**

 **To Guest: Oh, Larxene will get a world of hurt...eventually. And don't worry about the suggestions you made. I'm sure I can work something out. In the meantime, I'm open to other ideas when anyone's got the time. ;)**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 15: Luna versus Zexion

After the messy experience that is the battle against Larxene, the party found Sora to be in quite the hurry to keep going through the castle. Ever since he remembered who the mysterious girl is named, he's been driven more than ever to storm the castle and rescue Namine from the people in the black coats. So much so, in fact, that he immediately ran off ahead of them without even realizing that everyone else was still processing what just happened and are struggling to keep up with him now.

By the time they had caught up with him, he is already aiming for the door on the next floor.

"Sora, not so fast!" Donald panted as he finally caught up.

"We don't have time! They've got Namine," Sora replied hurriedly. "We gotta rescue her!"

Goofy couldn't help noticing the situation and comment on it. "Phew, Sora sure does seem like he's upset."

"You'd be, too. He just remembered a friend but found out she's in trouble!" Donald pointed out.

"Good point," the knight agreed, "I guess if we heard that the king is in danger, we would be pretty upset about that, too."

"That's still no excuse to be having a hissy fit about it," Medea retorted irritably, "We're still trying to understand what the hell is going on, and Sora's already pushing to chase after some girl we haven't even seen yet. I mean, there are a few of us who still want to piece together what's going on with ourselves and what kind of screwed up crap is messing with our heads – or our hearts for that matter."

Harsh as it may be, the Guardian did have a legit point. They still haven't fully grasped the bigger picture as to what and who they're dealing with, and already one of them is anxiously pursuing someone he only now has come to remember while another is struggling to process the dubious information regarding their new traveling partner who won't let up on insisting he is a legit person related to someone else. To make matters even more complicated, there's still the stress of losing more memories, and there's no knowing just how much they will lose as soon as they reach the top of the castle – wherever the top actually is. And that's not even mentioning the fact that they still haven't found any signs of Riku or the king since they stepped inside the trippy castle. Where could they be right now? At least one little sign that they're both alright, no matter where they are, wouldn't hurt a bit.

"C'mon, let's just never mind the insanity we've gone through and take a breather," Nero suggested to them.

Sora turned to him in disbelief. "I thought you were in a hurry to reach Namine, too. You talked about her like you knew her."

"Yeah, I did. But get your head back in reality," he replied knowingly, sternly criticizing Sora's hasty mentality, "That witch Larxene – she still did a number on us. Some of us are probably tired, and a little stressed. I mean, have you looked at Luna? She's about ready to pass out at any moment."

Surprisingly, he was actually right about it. When Sora stopped fretting and observed how everyone is, he caught on how fatigued they really are after the fighting. Donald and Goofy pretty much plopped their bums to the floor, Medea partly retreated back into her master's shadow, and Luna could barely keep herself standing as her legs began to collapse from underneath her. Feeling like dirt about it, Sora internally agreed that this would be a good opportunity to catch a breather while they can before anything else goes down.

"Alright…since we're here, we'll rest a bit," he agreed.

That gave everyone some relief as they gave in to their urge to settle down. As everybody else did so, Nero got himself busy as he brought a satchel from behind him and started taking out all sorts of potions and ethers as well as what looked to be rations kept in preservation.

"Excellent! Since we're all here, we might as well make use of this spare time to work on regaining our strength," Nero suggested as he made the arrangements, "I'm sure you're all more exhausted than you think you are."

As he busied himself over the supplies, Sora took this moment to check in on Luna just to make sure she's doing okay.

"That woman was rude, wasn't she?" he admitted, "Harassing us and bullying us, making fun of Namine and Nero… If you ask me, she doesn't know either of them."

"She certainly was. I didn't like how she was talking about any of us," Luna agreed as she rubbed her legs. "And this Namine…I hate to think of how much bullying she must be going through, trapped inside Castle Oblivion against her will. Maybe she has some answers about herself and Nero I could ask her if we find her."

"We will find her! And when we do, you can ask her about anything you want," Sora reassured her. "I'm sure she'd be glad to reconnect with you after not seeing you in years."

Although it still sounded very strange to hear Sora talking about Namine like it's something more familiar to him, Luna could easily spot the well-meaning intentions in his attempts at assuring her things will go right. Truthfully, it baffled her that she didn't know anyone by the name of Namine up until now; if only she had clearer memories of the moment she arrived on the islands, she would've remembered more clearly about her past situation prior to waking in the hospital and meeting her friends again. Maybe asking her about it would be helpful, like Sora suggested; that would help shed some light on some questions she might have.

* * *

Even with the dimly lit room, Zexion investigated deeply into the data that Vexen acquired from his combat experience with Noir. Knowing about the abilities of a largely unknown race is half the battle to deal with, as he had never seen what a Shadow Mage if truly capable of with his own eyes. But if what he had been told is true, then perhaps there is some worth investing into prying for more knowledge on the mysterious people. It wouldn't hurt to attempt to get an upper hand against Marluxia if that flowery schemer didn't acquire too much knowledge on something that he doesn't fully understand. And besides, it's not like Luna is going to simply run off and disappear from their line of sight without warning.

Hearing about Noir's abilities and knowing that Luna is somewhere in the castle abruptly caused his mind to wander off a bit. Memories of bygone days crept into his thoughts, where he could vaguely recall the face of a child, her innocence shattered to the core and her eyes dimmed by grief unknown to all…

"Oh, good grief!" he scolded himself, "I'm starting to slip into nostalgia again. I suppose it couldn't be helped, knowing that Luna is in the castle." He paused. "To think I still recall her face…that fragility…"

"Does the memory of a fragile mind divert your thoughts from the present?"

The instant he heard the soft, deep voice behind him, Zexion quickly turned around in surprise to find that he isn't alone. Rather than the rough voice of Lexaeus, another person in a black coat appeared in the room through a shadowy portal. It didn't take long for the tactical schemer to recognize who it is without necessarily needing to see the face, from the intimidating presence surrounding him.

"Xemnas… What brings you here so suddenly?" he asked, perplexed at what his superior was doing coming here.

"I thought I detected something…familiar. You've noticed as well, have you not?" Xemnas replied, getting to the point. "She has finally revealed herself after vanishing for nine years, and even now is wandering about as we speak."

Zexion knew where his superior is going with this conversation; even their leader is aware of the fact that Luna has finally been detected after disappearing for years. He must've departed from their base of operations long enough to check in on the situation, and to find out what the status is on the workings within Castle Oblivion. It's common knowledge – at least, with a few of the members that the Superior has a peculiar interest in the missing Shadow Mage; what it is, though, is something that is almost beyond everyone in the group.

"Yes, indeed I have noticed it. This has been confirmed by the others in the castle," he answered to his master, "Vexen even verified it after he encountered someone like her down below – a woman by the name of Noir, or to put it plainly, the target's birth mother." He paused, a frown on his face. "But there is a problem: Marluxia seems intent on seizing both Sora and Luna at the first chance, even sending in the look-alike to lure them into his trap. I fear that he might not only seek to claim his potential puppet, but also a doll to break under his will."

"He is driven by his own arrogance. That arrogance blinds him to the truth," the leader said dismissively, "But…you among a few of us have seen Luna before, known what she can do if provoked."

That got Zexion puzzled. "And what do you propose should be done?"

In response to the question, no words initially needed, the Superior pulled out a card from his pocket and silently handed it to him. Zexion looked down at the card, and his eyes widened a bit as he examined the image imprinted on the front. He recognized the miniature portrait of what was once a beautiful garden square surrounded by flowers and clear morning skies brightening the vicinity of the square.

"This is…"

"An old piece of memory, carefully constructed together from scratch," his leader told him, "Use this as Sora makes use of his own card, and when Luna enters, she will be separated from the others. She will come to you."

That all sounded very straightforward in context. But somewhere in the back of his mind, he had a nagging feeling of doubt that being able to sway her into playing along will be a simple thing to do. Fragmented memories in his mind barely recalled few moments where a name disturbed him relentlessly, and the vague recollections of jealousy reared its ugly head at him, unnerving him when he knew he should've forgotten about it. However, the thought of seeing her after several years intrigued him, so how could he say 'no' to that?

Unknown to him, though, his superior secretly gave a little smirk as the incentive is taken hook, line and sinker. "Do take care not to fumble on this one, would you?"

* * *

"Alright, that should do it. Let's enjoy this while we can."

After Nero had finished distributing the goods to everyone who would need it, the rest of the party eagerly accepted it and proceeded to ingest it within a solid amount of time. Either they thought the generosity is too good to be true, or they just got lucky having someone who is more resourceful than he's letting on.

"Jeez, Nero, how were you able to get all this?" Sora asked, "I mean, we've kinda been stranded before we ever found the castle."

Nero just shrugged nonchalantly. "I have ways."

Medea made no response to his cryptic answer, but her suspicious glare warned that she is curious as to how prepared this man has been ever since he joined them through the rest of their trip up the castle.

Luna, on the other hand, had nothing to say about it; however, somewhere inside her, she couldn't help having mixed feelings about the current situation. Their successful progress has been very convenient, maybe a bit too convenient. It's almost like Nero was too eager to help them navigate the halls and bring them to Namine. Truthfully, she had no idea what to make of everything; she's not sure what to believe in now.

If what she heard about Namine is true, then how come she doesn't have too many memories about her like Sora does? Was it because of the persistent amnesia clinging tightly on her mind, despite how much she's been able to remember again? Thinking she ought to try to probe her mind for the answers she needs, she tried to let her thoughts run its course and let her dig deep somewhere inside her. Although she has found herself losing some of the memories she made throughout different parts of her life, she could still make out some that she managed to cling on to. The faces of the people she met as a child are still there – she can still make out the faces of a queen the size of a little girl and her friend, a lady duck; there are still the princesses she befriended; but for some reason, she's having trouble recalling the rest of them. So, what about her family from her childhood? She still can't remember the identity of the stern man, but she could still make out the faces of Ventus and Aqua. How she missed them…

"Is there something on your mind, Luna?"

Nero's sudden question directed at her almost made her swallow her potion wrong, but she recovered herself by clearing her throat. In fact, she could've sworn that she tasted something a little strange with hers…

"Sorry, what? Did you say something?" she asked, faking cluelessness.

"I was asking if there was something bothering you," Nero replied, "but you didn't hear me the first time. What were you thinking about?"

"Well…" She hesitated at first, but then she decided to talk. "I was just thinking about two people I knew as a child. I've viewed them like a brother and a sister. I miss them a lot…"

Unknown to her, though, a dark look crossed Nero's face when he heard her talk about the people from her past. She didn't understand why any talks about anybody she knew seemed to bother him so much; she was pretty much speaking the truth. Was it because he had troubling memories in his past? Why doesn't he just tell her everything he's been through? They'd know what his deal is if he talked about it.

She didn't get the chance to ask him any questions when Sora jumped up to his feet and made a break for the door. Apparently, he must've felt more invigorated after having that recommended break like Nero suggested, and everyone else had just about completely taken in their fair share of what was given to them by their benefactor.

"Right, then, let's get going!" he said anxiously, "Let's get through this castle and find Namine."

"I'm ready!" Donald called as he sprang up, "Let's get at the bad guys!"

"Are we ready, everybody?" Goofy asked the rest of the team.

"Sure, but let's do ourselves a favor and don't be idiots on the way up," Medea agreed cautiously.

"Okay, we're coming," Luna agreed as she got up.

Following Sora's lead, he used one of the cards in his hand, letting it use its magic and unlock the next of the card-worlds for them to go through. One by one, each of them stepped right into the light to see where it will lead them…

* * *

…But as Luna's eyes regained clear sight, she quickly felt a sense of unease coursing through her as she looked around to find herself in a rather unusual location. Scanning her surroundings, she found herself in a town square surrounded by beautiful flowers blooming in a circle around her, and water pouring out from waterways throughout the vicinity of the square. From afar, she could make out empty buildings stretching across miles, and the skies are of a lavender morning hue accompanied by blueish clouds streaking the air. From a distance, she could've sworn that she could make out a castle, but she didn't know whether she was experiencing déjà vu or if she was reliving something else.

"What is this place?" she asked aloud, "Is this…something new?"

 _"_ _Hey! Hold up, Luna!"_

Abruptly, Medea emerged from her shadow, an alarmed frown on her face as she looked around.

"Haven't you noticed? Sora and the boys aren't with us!" Medea pointed out.

At first, she didn't understand what her Guardian meant. But when it finally hit her, Luna looked around in horror as she tried to find where the others are to no avail. True to the warning, she found that Sora, Donald, Goofy and Nero are nowhere to be found!

"You're right! They're not here!" Luna cried out, panicking, "Where are they?"

"Don't worry. They're only preoccupied with something else for the time being, seeing as you haven't visited one place Sora already did."

When both girls heard the peculiar voice nearby them, Luna and Medea turned around to find another stranger in a black coat approaching them. But instead of the lanky Axel or the antenna-haired Larxene, the new face they encountered is a young man with unruly bangs covering almost all of the right side of his face. It made them wonder if this man is involved with either of the two people they fought against a few floors earlier, or if he has a different reason for separating them from the others.

"You with the other guys who pestered us before, or aren't ya?" Medea grilled him.

"I am, but not for the same reasons," the young man answered vaguely, "Funny enough, I only meant to have a word with Luna specifically, but since you're both here, I'll make do."

Luna tilted her head in confusion. "Who…are you supposed to be? How do you know my name so well?"

That was when he gave her a cryptic question. "Do you still have that ice cream stick?"

That baffled both girls for a moment. What ice cream stick? What's he talking about?

But then, a little thought crossed Luna's mind as she quickly searched for her satchel on her belt. As she shuffled her hands through it, she searched carefully for something out of place that might clue her on what she's looking for. Then, when she was sure she found something that felt small and thin, she pulled it out and held it in front of her; sure enough, she did carry and ice cream stick. But for what reason would she be hinted towards it? Is it important to her, considering how she did carry it with her among her treasures?

But the young man recognized it as he said, "Ah. So you still have it. I'm impressed you've kept it for so long."

"Wait…I've had this stick with me," Luna mused, curious and confused, "Where did I get it from?"

"Think carefully on it, Luna. You wouldn't have held on to it unless you valued it," he suggested to her, "Think: where did you get it? Who gave it to you? Figure that out, and we'll keep talking afterwards."

Where did she get the stick? Who gave it to her?

Luna thought long and hard about those two questions as she tried to remember what reason she would be carrying an ice cream stick of all things as one of her treasures. She wondered how that man knew about the stick and said her name like he's an old friend from ages ago, and what reason he would want to talk to her of all people. Did that man ask those questions to her because…?

Wait a minute. No, it couldn't be…

A faint image flashed across her eyes as she felt herself revisiting a vision once blurred and darkened from repression, now becoming clear as she caught sight of the image of a young boy much like the man in front of her…except much younger, no more than a child a couple of years older than her. She could see the boy glancing at her time to time, leading her along to a blurred location; she could see a stick of ice cream handed to her generously. She couldn't see much more of the world around the lens of her memory, but she could hear a name form together, directed toward the boy right next to her.

Who was he? What was he called? Was he someone she had known before?

It started coming back to her as she pieced together the puzzle, finally remembering that the boy in her memory was called…

"…Is it…" she struggled to form her words, "…Is it you, Ienzo?"

Medea turned to her, dumbfounded. "Wait, what? You knew this guy?"

The young man clapped slowly in approval. "Bravo. You finally remembered. But sad to say, I go by another name now. You may call me Zexion."

If these ladies didn't know any better, they could've sworn that they're noticing a pattern within the names of the people they've been meeting. Wearing black coats, a letter X in their names, relentlessly stalking them since the first floor – okay, something had to be fishy bout this! But this one seems to be taking a different approach from the rest of them; he admits to isolating them from the boys, but for what reason would he want to speak with Luna alone?

"If I'm hearing this correctly – Zexion, is it?" Luna questioned him, "If you're telling the truth about yourself, then what are you doing here in this castle? What is it you want from us, even going so far as to separate us from Sora and the others?"

The reply he gave caught them off-guard. "For nine years, after the Heartless let loose upon the worlds, you disappeared without a trace. How you got out of there on your own is the question even the Superior couldn't answer. No matter what we tried, there was no possible way to find you. And yet, here you are now, wandering about with new companions. If anything, you should be the one to tell me what you are doing here."

"Why the hell should we tell you?" Medea retorted, "It's not like my master can just tell you where she's been. Her head's still screwed up, you know!"

Her Shadow Guardian had a strong point about it. Despite her situation with her memories inside Castle Oblivion, there are other forgotten memories she still has yet to recover. Plus, she still remembers that she wants to find Riku and the king. After all, she still recalled Riku's promise that he would come back to her once he found a way out of the realm of darkness. There's no way she would want to give up on that.

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer any of your questions. My memory is still a mess," Luna agreed after a moment of silence, "And besides, there's someone important I want to find here. I want to find him and be with again – Riku."

The instant she brought up the name of her missing friend, both women noticed that Zexion's face seemed to darken as he gave off a dangerous glare. Was that jealousy they were seeing cross his face? If that's the case, then what's there to be jealous about?

"Even after all these years, your thoughts are still on him?" he asked lowly, "And here I thought this would be easy…"

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, dreading where this is going.

He looked up at her. "Sorry, but I have orders to carry out. He knows that you are here, and he wants to see you brought to him. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. I'd rather that you'd be brought to the Superior without Marluxia's meddling, but I will force you into compliance if it comes down to it."

Medea formed her claws in defense. "Like hell we're gonna just roll over for ya!"

"Why on earth would I want to go to…?" Luna was about to say something, but then something made her falter for a moment. For a short second, a blurred vision flashed through her mind as she barely could see dulled gold eyes looking at her; she couldn't see who it is, but something about the eyes terrified her to the point of tears…

Zexion noticed this and commented, "Well…it seems that someone's been busy trifling with your memories lately. No matter. You will come along quietly, or I will have to work on subduing you until you do cooperate!"

There was no avoiding a confrontation at this point. As Zexion summoned a book to his hand, Luna was forced to conjure her Shadow Hands and prepare for battle.

But the enigmatic intruder didn't make this a walk in the park for either of the two ladies; he fluidly evaded Medea's direct assaults at almost every step of the way, and his book used every trick to counter Luna's attempts to throw him off with every spell she could think of using against him. If that weren't enough, he even went so far as to summon copies of the same spell-book he's using to give himself more options on dealing with his two opponents.

"Hey, emo wizard! Why don't you stop avoiding us like a coward?" Medea berated impatiently, "You wanna catch us? Then come at us!"

His brow twitched at the insults. "Oh? Then let's see how you like this…"

With a wave of his hand, the cloned books that he summoned to aid him started flying around the square, unleashing spells that appeared to be pulling them closer like magnets designed to capture anything that moves. When Luna noticed this, she conjured more Shadow Hands in an attempt to move the tomes away just as Medea clawed viciously against the pages with the intent of destroying them. But just when it seemed like things were not about to go anywhere, the books abruptly pulled back and – to their greatest shock – changed their shapes to a body clone of him with Medea's Black Claws and dummied copies of Luna's Shadow Hands!

Luna was stunned at the sight. "What the –"

"Impressive, isn't it? I wonder how you can handle your own power being used against you," he answered proudly.

Both ladies discovered first-hand that Zexion was not fooling around with his imitations. While Medea got into a wild duel with the illusory clone mimicking her quick movements and ferocious strikes, Luna ended up in a one-on-one duel with the real version that is using her machinations of her Hands against her. To make matters worse, he's made sure that additional copies of his lexicon are on standby just in case they do get past the first batch of illusions.

"I warned you. It would've been much easier if you just behaved," Zexion said, sighing in chagrin at the present defiance.

"And let someone kidnap me? No! I won't allow it!" Luna answered stubbornly.

Things got a lot more chaotic from there as the girls struggled to fight back against the illusionist and his delusory imitations, desperate to break the façade created to stand against them within the parameters of their makeshift arena. Not helping them in the slightest is that he wasn't shy about tripping them up with cyclones that slip their footing on separate occasions.

"Dammit! How the hell are we gonna get out of this?" Medea growled in irritation.

During her struggles repelling the dummy Hands away from her, Luna looked around her in hopes of finding something – anything – that can give them an opening on Zexion and make a break for an exit. As she searched, though, she noticed something about the lexicons hovering around in the air: while the clones are simply using petty spells or creating extra duplications to throw at them, one of them kept giving off a red spherical aura that expelled its magical energy towards the other tomes whilst in the hands of its owner. Is it possible to unravel the illusions if the lexicon and the owner are targeted directly? There's only one way to find out.

Using the stealth approach, she quickly sank into her own shadow, forcing Zexion to try and search for her as she slithered by him until she found a suitable position; then, when he least expected it, she let her own Shadow Hands launch out from behind, detaining him and lifting him off the ground while another seized the lexicon from his grasp and separated them. This made the imitations falter in their ability, allowing Medea to turn back long enough to get after the real tome and bash it into oblivion, leaving the illusionist vulnerable enough for Luna to use the Hands to throw him down to the ground. With his defeat, the spells and conjurations wore off, vanishing into nothing.

Now, at this point, it would've been an open opportunity to finish off the opponent, but the girls had other plans – and staying is not one of them.

"C'mon, let's get the hell outta here while he's down!" Medea called as she started to run.

Not wanting to waste time on forcing answers out of him, despite how much she wants to know about the other people in the black coats and what the connections are, Luna knew that now is not the time to pry for answers. She wants to find out if there are more like them and what part they play in the castle. So, without another word, Luna followed hurriedly alongside Medea and they made their way out of the place back to the castle halls.

When they were gone, though, Zexion quickly came to realize that they had made their escape. But that's not the only thing on his mind; he knows that he hasn't successfully captured Luna, and now she's moving along further into the castle. It seemed to him that she has changed significantly in her nine year absence; where she was but a fragile and timid child, unable to fully function without the guide of older peers, here she is now an active and goal-oriented young lady bent on making her own choices regardless of her persistent uncertainty. If she was going to be this stubborn and refuse to give in willingly, then he might have to come up with another way to get at her. But what could he do? How can he force her come along quietly if she won't do so by herself?

But then, an idea crossed his mind: Riku. She implied to have a strong attachment to Riku, whether she meant to or not. So why not make use of their current plan to seize him and use him against Marluxia, and perhaps use him as a bait to convince her to comply under the threat to endanger his life? There might still be a chance to turn things around against the traitors if the plan goes smoothly…

He let out a small, dark chuckle. "I see. So you want to play hard to get, do you, Luna? Alright, then. It seems that a little leverage will be needed to convince you."

* * *

At the same time, in the corner of the white room, alone, Namine found it impossible to get over the sick feeling in her stomach. Sora and Luna are on the way up inside the castle, chasing after her, and now she had done even more tampering with another person's memories. She felt disgusted at herself for all the manipulations those people in the black coats made her do just to get their way. She hated herself more for not being able to do anything when they had that young man sent out to track them down. Though she hardly knew anything about him, she couldn't help questioning what reason that man had to willingly do whatever Marluxia and his cohorts want him to do.

"Why so glum, Namine?" Larxene's voice broke the silence. Namine knew she's just there to taunt her. "Is there something that's been troubling you? Are you feeling awful about tinkering with Sora and Luna's memory? Or maybe you –"

"Cut it out, Larxene."

The blond woman was interrupted when 'Riku' entered the room, visibly angered that his special someone was being harassed.

"Namine – she doesn't want to remember Sora," he insisted, "She only wants Luna."

Larxene raised a brow at him. "Is that so?"

Ignoring her, 'Riku' focused his attention straight at Namine as his hard face immediately softened only towards her.

"Don't worry. Whatever's hurting you, I'll make it go away," he promised her. He then pulled a star-shaped charm out and held it out to her. "I'll bring Luna to you safely. I swear it on this – the good luck charm you gave me." He smiled a bit. "See ya."

Though she wished she could feel at ease at the promise made, Namine couldn't bear to even look at that charm carried on him. She didn't enjoy the sight of that worthless bauble. Even as he left the room to carry out his objective, she still loathed the delusion implanted in him, knowing that there will be bad blood between someone that would erupt at any given moment, and she will be powerless to stop it.

Larxene, on the other hand, was amused at the scene. She always had a feeling that those children would be so easy to mess around with, but not on this scale. She couldn't help thinking that things are going quite smoothly with the manipulation of Sora and Luna's memories as they progress through Castle Oblivion, chasing something that they don't entirely understand about like children lured into a trap under sweet pretenses.

"That's just amazing. It's almost like you completely made his heart from scratch," she complimented mockingly, "Nice touch with the good luck charm. I didn't know you could use memories to turn objects like cards into keepsakes. You used the same trick on Sora and Luna, didn't you? You changed Kairi's good luck charm and Luna's moonstone with your magic, didn't you?" She giggled excitedly. "It won't be long before Sora and Luna forget about Kairi completely! And then they'll be all yours to –"

"They won't forget," Namine interrupted. "No matter how much I change their hearts, Sora and Luna will never forget Kairi. Memories of me – More false memories of me will just make his feelings for Kairi and her sisterly bond even stronger than before. Because…I'm the shadow of Kairi."

That got Larxene annoyed. "What's your problem with that? That should be your incentive not to screw anything up. Just do a good job rewriting Sora and Luna's hearts. Then you can actually be somebody – and no longer just Kairi's shadow. You'll be real in their hearts."

Just hearing the way Larxene is talking about Sora and Luna repulsed Namine, regarding the two as nothing more than toys that they think they can play with at their leisure until they break. Just what could they possibly want with the Keyblade wielder and the Shadow Mage? That's what she wants to know. But she knows that she'll get the answers she wants so long as they are keeping watch on her, making sure she's doing her job.


	17. Chapter 16: Olympus Coliseum - Riku

**Hello, everyone. Lilith here.**

 **Excuse me for taking so long to get another chapter posted. Some things happened, and I ended up sick (no thanks to a certain someone who was sick earlier).**

 **Well, anyway, here's another little misadventure for Riku. But I've added in a little more spice to upset the equation. :p**

 **By the way, in this chapter, I took the liberty of slipping a couple references in here. Let's see who can spot them and accurately guess where the reference comes from. Here's a hint: two are from Greek literature, and one is from Castlevania.**

 **So without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To iwaskitten: Looks to me like I nailed the curve ball. I wanted to do something else since I didn't do a chapter of 100 Acre Wood back in my last fanfic (probably because I never thought about it during the writing process).**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 16: Basement 7 – Olympus Coliseum, Riku

"So, what other locations will we be inspecting this time?"

Riku heard Noir's question as he examined the cards in his hands. Four new options for worlds are given to him, and he personally wondered what would be waiting for them when they enter one of the worlds.

"Well, they're pretty much free game," Riku replied, "The only thing we'll have to worry about is who we'd be facing next."

"Fair enough, I suppose. Where shall we go from here?" Noir asked him.

He looked through the cards, thinking over what world they should try out next to continue their travel through the castle basement. There's a creepy town, an underwater kingdom, an insane land that doesn't make a bit of sense… Though, there is a coliseum that screams something of valor for the aspiring champion. He remembered being there for a brief time, but not long enough to know too many of the people that lived there. What would be found if they went there?

"How about the coliseum?" he asked her, "It'd give us a bit of a challenge to work with."

"That's not a bad idea. With a coliseum this prestigious, it would be a good place to prove your mettle," Noir agreed as she thought about the benefits, "Perhaps it can help us prepare for future enemies should they arise to the occasion."

"The only thing we'll have to worry about is what might get in the way," Riku admitted.

Using the card chosen by agreement, the door opened wide as the two of them proceeded to the next world waiting for them on the other side.

* * *

What greeted them upon their arrival is the monumental entrance gates leading the way inside a grand coliseum, kept vigilant by the colossal statues of Grecian warriors of unknown origins; down below them is what appeared to be a city surrounded by greens and clouds swirling around above the multiple buildings that nestled far below the stairs ascending to the halls where the heroes come from all over the country to leave their mark in the archives of heroism. All around, mighty pillars held everything up with an ancient dignity that persists ever still, and the flames flickered on with vigor in their urns as though to imply the fire that one might find once they've entered the arena of the gods themselves.

As they looked around the place, Riku couldn't help but notice how awestruck Noir is at the marvelous architecture surrounding them. Compared to him, she behaved more like a wide-eyed child seeing a whole different world for the first time in her life.

"Just what brilliant mind is able to assemble a powerful location?" Noir asked as she looked around the entrance.

"Given what this place is, I wouldn't be shocked if they had higher-ups that formed the place just for fun," Riku joked dryly.

She gave him a narrowed glare and a crooked smile. "Well, then, if you know how to be a smart-aleck, then maybe you'd know where we would investigate into joining the residents of the arena."

"Alright, let's see…" Riku's voice trailed off as he searched around the place for any clue on where to go. As he approached the entrance into the arena, he spotted an announcement board not far from the building entrance; his curiosity overriding his other judgment, he took a peek and found that there is a seemingly important event occurring. From what he could read, the announcement said that there's a tournament about to begin – and it sounds like there are requests for more participants.

"Hey, check this out. A tournament is announced," he said, "and they're looking for more participants."

Noir came over to take a look, and the announcements quickly piqued her interests. Maybe they can use this as an opportunity to learn what the deal is for the event? It wouldn't hurt to acquire more information in order to decide on taking the challenge.

"Hmm… So there's a tournament in the works?" she commented, intrigued at the idea of a test, "If this advertisement is correct, then perhaps that means there might be opponents waiting to fight their way to the top of the game." She then turned to Riku. "This might be an excellent opportunity for you to test your strength, see if you can overcome what ties you down."

"We'd better get started, then," Riku agreed with her. "Let's see who can sign us up."

Not wasting time weighing on what to expect for the time being, the two of them proceeded towards the entrance to the coliseum to see if they can find whoever is in charge of the tournament announced on this day and get some answers. Unknown to them, though, a tall creepy man in a grey toga arrived on the scene and stopped at the announcement board to find out what the news is regarding the coliseum events.

"Let's see…Uh-huh, a tournament's rolling today, participants needed…whoever wins gets the chance to fight the one and only Hercules in the next cup," he read the contents on the sign. But the instant he saw the name of the champion on the board, his flickering blue hair burst into a surge of red as his body partly turned red with fury. "GAH! And this is supposed to be my ONE chance to concoct a way to get rid of Jerk-ules for good! Why wait in the bonus when you can just get to the prize, for crying out loud?" He then calmed down. "Well, I suppose beggars can't be choosers. I'll just have to work with what's here, and see if I can get someone to do the dirty work for me once the big man returns from…wherever in Greece he is! C'mon, Hades, let's see who we can play with for a little while."

Knowing full well that he isn't simply going to stroll in through the lobby doorway, Hades easily used his godly powers to vanish into a cloud of black smoke and teleport himself elsewhere.

* * *

Unknown to the visitors and the ill-meaning god, though, another person unexpectedly arrived on the scene. Emerging from the dark portal, Axel looked around the coliseum entrance gates for a moment as he took a breath of relief.

"Whew…never thought I'd get a bit of a breather after that little number Larxene pulled," he spoke to himself. He looked around again. "Now then, let's see if I can find the interloper that slipped under our noses, since Marluxia and the others are too busy watching the show to search for anything out of whack."

Unbeknownst to most of the members, Axel kept hidden a little tidbit of knowledge that he had acquired prior to the arrival of Sora and his companions topside and Riku down below. When he was doing recon as per Marluxia's orders, he sensed something out of the ordinary from the get-go and strayed off his usual route to investigate what it is he noticed. Thinking back on it, he recalled informing Luna and Medea about his findings, but he didn't want to give away the big twist because it would be rather dull if he gave it up too soon. Besides, he wanted to confirm what he discovered by meeting this intruder personally.

"At least I know where I can find our peculiar stranger…" he said to himself as he vanished into the dark.

* * *

The reception lobby spoke volumes as to what kind of place they're about to be dealing with at this point. Riku could see some finely crafted trophies on display on one side of the room, and Noir could tell that there are a few more signs, this time listing the types of tournaments and the contestants lined up to get a crack at conquering the challenges that await within the heart of the arena itself. The main entrance into the arena appeared to be blocked off by a 'no entry' sign, probably because the games haven't gotten started as of yet. And not far from the sign hung up in front is what to be a rather short, horned humanoid creature with the bottom portion like that of a goat's hind legs.

Funny enough, they could hear him muttering to himself, "Honest to Zeus, the competitors we've gotten are all barkin' when they come in, and hardly any bitin' when they get in the ring. Why can't the gods give me someone more worthwhile until Herc gets back?"

Hearing this, Riku took the chance to call out, "Hey! You were looking for some new players?"

After just a moment, the humanoid abruptly turned around, wanting to know what was going on – and is quite surprised to find two new people in the lobby.

"Hold up, hold up, hold up! What're you two doing over here?" he asked gruffly, "The games are about to begin, and we're short a few candidates. You thinking that you're gonna just waltz right in and join in? Nuh-uh! If you ain't warriors, you ain't getting in."

"Actually, it's precisely because of the advertisement that we wanted to sign in, Mister…" Noir started to explain, but then faltered when she realized they don't have a name. "Pardon me, but what should we call you?"

"Call me Phil," the old goat replied bluntly.

"…Right. Mr. Phil, we read that more participants are sought out, so we thought if we could ask to be signed up for the tournament," she continued, "If you're the one in charge, would you kindly let us join in?"

At first, there's a brief pause as no response came out. But then, Phil started laughing at them.

"Are you kidding me? You two – a little boy and a good-looking woman – want to join in the tournament?" he laughed hysterically, "You must've been eating on some enchanted lotuses and lost your mind to think that you want to join in the games. Well, I've got two words for you: You! Are! Insane!"

That offended Riku quite a bit. Does this stubborn old goat seriously think that they were joking around about wanting to participate in the tournament? He's been through a lot of tension and heartbreak, most of which were inflicted by him, and he wanted to clean his hands of the trouble he brought on to his friends and himself. He wanted to prove himself capable of conquering the darkness that he foolishly accepted from someone who never meant to help him from the beginning. He wanted to test his ability without relying on the darkness as much as Ansem wanted him to since turning his back on the monster.

"What, you saying that we can't try at least?" Riku called him out on it, "C'mon, are you gonna chicken out on two possibly strong fighters, old goat?"

That provoked him well enough. "Excuse me? Who you callin' an old goat? I'm a satyr! And what're you calling me a chicken for? I never said I was gonna turn tail on the matter."

"Then sign us up. We'll prove that we can pull this off," Riku insisted, "me with my blade and Noir with her shadowy powers. Then you can be the judge when we're done."

That certainly sounded like a fair deal, in retrospect. What would be the point in running a game, much less a competition if you don't judge everyone fair and square? Plus, if the two are insistent on being capable fighters in the arena, why not give them a chance to back up their claims of strength?

Unable to resist the prospect, Phil complied. "Alright, alright, I'll let you both in the vestibule. But you'll have to wait a few moments until our last competitor comes in, you hear me?"

"We hear you, sir," Noir assured him.

With a reasonable win-win compromise reached, Phil untied the rope by the arena entrance and allowed them to proceed inside without further delays.

Entering inside the very heart of the coliseum certainly gave those two much more to marvel than they initially thought since first arriving. They found themselves inside what Phil called the vestibule of the arena, consisting of a large empty space surrounded by podium seats lifted several feet from the ground as the stone rooftops are held up by more columns; torches are also lit up, carefully arranged all around the area, and an iron gate barred off further entry at the very end of the coliseum itself.

Not long after entering the arena, though, they got a surprise when another person also stepped right in without even noticing them. The newcomer, from what they can tell, is a young man with spiky blond hair and blue eyes; his blue uniform is held together through several belts in some sections, and his mouth is kept hidden by a red tattered cloak that fluttered with each movement; his black demonic wing and clawed gloves gave him an air of someone nobody would want to underestimate for any reason. And the sword he carried on him – it is a monster to see with its great size, and a wonder how on earth he is able to carry it around like it's not a problem in the slightest.

Noir noticed him, and wondered, "Is that man the other participant Phil was talking about?"

"He could be. He looks strong," Riku replied, for once feeling very cautious about the stranger.

For a moment, they could've sworn that the blond man was looking at them for a few seconds, but then turned away disinterested in the visitors. Perhaps he's only here to get involved in the competition and doesn't care if there are others joining in the mix.

Not long after all of them arrived in the vestibule, Phil came out of the lobby to give all of them the rundown as to what this tournament is about.

"Alright, let's get down to business. In this tourney, you'll be going through a gauntlet of competitors past that gate in front of you," Phil instructed them, "Now here are a few rules for y'all. Rule number one: You gotta get to the end of the gauntlet to win! Rule number two: If the competition ends in a tie, a battle will settle the score! Rule number three: Teamwork is optional for better results! And rule number four: Give it everything you've got!" He paused. "You got all that, chumps?"

"Got it," Riku replied as Noir answered, "We understand, sir."

"Great. Now, when I say 'go'…" Phil waited until the gates ahead opened wide to give the signal. "GO!"

Almost immediately, just as the gates have opened wide, Riku and Noir instantly hustled their way forward as their competitor started to follow along behind them. It would've been tempting to think that the match would be a straightforward game, but nobody would suspect that events would get a lot more insane as soon as they move along in the arena…

* * *

Sure enough, Phil was not joking around when he said that the tournament consists of a gauntlet competition. Past the gate they passed through, the competitors are met by various groups of Heartless that would come after them at irregular intervals, either purposely added in to make the tournament more of a challenge or happened to be passing through the place looking to make trouble on passersby. Not helping the matter about the Heartless is that the annoying creatures would make their charge against their opponents in numerous ways possible, making nuisances of themselves in the worst of ways possible.

But thankfully, since the satyr had established that teamwork is feasibly optional during the competition, Riku and Noir are able to manage their way through most of the gauntlet courses thanks to their prowess since first working together. The only thing they have to worry about is what they'll probably expect when they reach the final round, and whether that other competitor will be their opponent in the event of all of them arriving at the same time.

Come to think of it, where did he disappear to? Ever since beginning the competition, they haven't seen the warrior anywhere within their sights. It's almost like he decided to divert from the intended course, and opted to dillydally elsewhere without giving a clue as to where he could've wandered off to. Was there something going on with him from the moment he stepped into the coliseum to join the competition? There's no way they would know if they don't have any clues to where he is.

However, if they thought that things are getting rather suspicious within the coliseum, what both of them will find will be least expected in more ways than one…

* * *

…In the case of Noir, she was dealing with an ambush of pesky monkey-like Heartless, having to wipe them out before she can get a breather. But when she did eliminate all the ones that got in her way, something bothered her immediately.

She looked around to find that Riku is not with her. "Riku…? Riku, where are you?" Her fear started to bubble to the surface. "Oh, no! Did we get separated when the Heartless ambushed us? I have to find him as soon as possible!"

 _"_ _Whoa, slow down there, lady. Freaking out's not healthy for a woman of your caliber."_

When she heard the laid-back cocky voice echo through the general area, she tried to look around and identify where it's coming from, but then got a surprise when out of a portal of dark energy, a lanky young man with spiked-back red hair emerged out into the open field. Though she could tell that this new stranger is wearing a black coat similar to Vexen, she could tell that this person is not like him; but what she couldn't understand is what this person is doing here without warning.

But the man paid no mind to the suspicion and greeted her with a cheeky smile. "Hello."

Noir stiffened, wary of him. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Oh, I guess you're not in the know, huh? Eh, no big deal, really. The name's Axel," the man called Axel introduced himself as he tapped his forehead, "Got it memorized?"

"Axel, is it? Perhaps you can explain to me what you're doing here," she responded cautiously, "or at the very least whether or not you're involved with Vexen. Besides, you wouldn't be here without a good reason, would you?"

"My thoughts exactly," Axel agreed, "I wouldn't have snuck over here without a reason. But rest assured, I came here by myself, and just want to have a little chat with you. In fact, I wanted to ask you one little question: what were you doing, snooping around the castle?"

The instant he asked her that question, Noir felt her body stiffen from shock. What possessed him to ask her what she was doing in the castle? She was certain that nobody noticed her entering the castle, and she didn't take any chances using the front door so as to not risk getting caught by the denizens. There is no way he would've known she's been wandering around the castle halls unless… Her eyes widened as she quickly came to realize that he knew something that she wasn't aware of since first arriving. The knowing smirk on Axel's face confirmed what she was beginning to think.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought," he said nonchalantly. "You did come here for something."

"How did you suspect I slipped inside the castle?" she asked warily.

His brow raised in amusement. "Suspect, you said? That's a laugh. Actually, I saw you outside the castle. I saw you looking around the place like you're on alert. And I saw you summon a corridor similar to what we use, and you went in there without anybody else realizing where you were coming in. I didn't _suspect_ anything. I just _know_ what I saw."

Now she immediately felt uncomfortable about the situation. She was so sure that nobody would ever notice her entering the castle until it was too late. But she didn't figure that someone actually did witness her infiltrating the castle, and – upon thinking back at her encounter with Vexen – recognize that there is an intruder wandering about the halls. However, it got her thinking: if Axel knew all along that she was searching the place, then why didn't he tell any of his comrades what he found at the start? Clearly somebody wouldn't tolerate interlopers, even if they had no knowledge about her at all.

"Ah, don't make a big fuss out if it. I'm not gonna rat you out to the man upstairs," Axel commented knowingly, "Besides, he's too preoccupied with his flowery prose and his personal business to even realize something else is afoot."

"If you're not planning on exposing me after what you've seen, then why did you come here to begin with?" Noir asked him, wanting to know if there's more to his game.

There was a brief pause before he answered eagerly, "Now that's a really good question right there. You see, a little while ago, I had a bit of entertainment fighting with a Keyblade wielder and his buddies, and one of them just so happened to be a Shadow Mage – and dare I say she's got quite a fiery protector. See, what made me curious is…"

From the moment he snapped his fingers, a wall of fire formed around them in alignment with the pillars lined up in a row, blocking off any routes of escape at the risky penalty of getting scorched on contact. Then, stretching his arms out, he summoned from the wheels of fire a pair of chakrams into his hands, next lowering them down with the bladed weapons at the ready.

"…what exactly you can do in a straight-up bout," he finished his sentence.

Sensing that he intends a fight at this point and there's no reasoning out of it; Noir immediately summoned her Dark Hands to her aid and braced herself for a potential challenge.

Sure enough, when she began her confrontation with Axel, she found that her opponent is a very slippery combatant. The fire he unleashes with his chakrams always kept her on her toes, and he is so nimble an opponent that sometimes her Hands had a little trouble catching him no matter what she tried to do. The only thing that helped her stand her ground against him was when she mixed up her movements with her magic spells that she sent out just to stall her challenger's annoying advances.

Surprisingly, Axel seemed aware of the situation. "C'mon, lady! I'm sure that's not all you've got up your sleeves. Let's see what more tricks you're hiding."

"You're asking for trouble," Noir warned him, trying not to push her boundaries.

"Asking for trouble? You ain't seen trouble yet," he replied in amusement. Fire flared around him as he shouted, "Burn, baby!"

Almost like it was actually a command to call his power, the flames fanned across the ground and formed a field of singeing magma underneath them; the danger of getting burnt from below forced Noir to summon a Dark Hand to hoist her off the ground unharmed. But that didn't stop Axel from coming after her repeatedly as he slithered around the field and harassed her with his blazing chakrams. If anything, it gave her the impression that this feisty redhead is purposefully toying with her, trying to goad her into revealing more of her ability for him to see.

But when it seemed like her defenses with her Dark Hands were about to be cracked wide open, another one emerges with a will of its own as a peculiar ethereal Keyblade magically formed in its grasp.

Despite its short length from the handle to the blade, its meticulous beauty masks an unknown power hiding within. The weapon displayed an intricate carving of a pale white hand delicately holding three midnight-blue gentian flowers as thin black roots entwined around the shape of an arm, whereas a silvery handle is held safely protected by crystalline cross guards decorated in the same gentian flower patterns as on the side tip of the blade; the chain hanging below carried a miniature crystalline white crescent moon, swaying peacefully amidst the chaos of the environment.

When Axel saw the Hand and the blade, he was momentarily surprised. "What the -! A Keyblade?"

But Noir mysteriously recognized it, and sighed in relief. "You're always trying to keep me safe, are you, my dear Maimon?"

Before Axel could attempt to question what just happened, the Keyblade-wielding Hand waved its blade up toward the air, charging up an orb of light blue energy and firing it into the sky, which in turn rained down a rapid-fire shower of cleansing light that purged the ground of the puddle of magma. With the ground purified of the hazards beneath her feet, this gave Noir enough time to lower herself on even footing and summon more Dark Hands to help her out; all the while, the Keyblade-wielding Hand fought to keep the slippery assassin from trying to get any closer to her, leaving little opportunity to attempt a sneak attack on her like an overprotective guardian.

Now that the confrontation got more interesting, even though he had no idea what the heck has been unleashed, Axel actually found the retaliation quite thrilling – more so since he now is witnessing this woman revealing her actual talents befitting her race. At least he got a taste of what a Shadow Mage is capable of, first with Luna and Medea, and now he's seen a little more demonstration with this lady. He could at most surmise a guess that this person has had more experience in combat sometime in the past, give or take a few decades despite how young-looking she is.

"Now that was exciting!" he couldn't help exclaiming with glee.

"You won't find it exciting when I smash you into the wall!" Noir retorted.

As she unleashed her Dark Hands, intent on seizing him and making good on her promise to slam his lanky frame against the walls of the coliseum, Axel made the smart move and warped himself out of the battlefield he created, giving himself just enough space to keep a distance from her before things got a little too rough for him. After that, he snapped his fingers again, dispelling the wall of flames that carpeted the area and ending the momentary danger that was present since his arrival.

"Well, that was quite a workout. I gotta say, lady, I'm actually impressed," Axel called out like he had a good time, "You showed me that you and Luna are not the types of women we'd want to scoff at, especially considering how you're involved with some tough little customers."

Baffled, she asked him, "Were you just playing with me?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Your call," he replied with a shrug. He looked over his shoulder a moment. "Huh…Looks like something big is going down. I wonder who's not playing fair this time around."

At first, she had no idea what this sly redhead was talking about; but when she sensed a dark aura flickering from a distance towards the final gauntlet, Noir's confusion immediately turned into horror. The dark aura wasn't Riku's, thank goodness, but she had the bad feeling something more sinister must be going down that the boy got himself caught in the middle of. She had to get there and help him, fast!

As she booked it out of there to Riku's aid, Axel just watched her go, not even bothering to stop her. He had his fun with her, got to see what the woman can do in contrast to the child; in fact, he almost could've sworn that there's a strong resemblance between the two ladies… He'll worry about the details later. Besides, he still has some work to do; and besides, he did promise – so to speak – that he wouldn't rat her out to Marluxia. He doesn't need to know about the unplanned visitor if he's only interested in the Keyblade wielder and the Shadow Mage upstairs. There's always another time to do more investigations.

* * *

At the same time, elsewhere in the gauntlet course, Riku had just finished pounding some Heartless when he quickly recognized that Noir is nowhere to be found. He wondered if he lost track of her somewhere in the middle of battling the Heartless.

"Where could she be? Did she get lost in the middle of the gauntlet?" he asked himself, trying to piece together what happened.

Before he could turn back to go find her, Riku got himself a surprise when he saw the mysterious blond warrior approaching the vestibule. But he didn't seem to be noticing that he's not the only one who arrived at the final round; if anything, he doesn't seem to even be paying attention to anything at all. Was he goal-oriented or something? Surely he would've known that Noir is also a participant. It didn't hurt to try and ask.

"Hey. You haven't seen Noir anywhere, have you?" Riku asked cautiously.

The blond warrior stopped in his tracks and turned to Riku. But as he did so, though, the boy quickly sensed something is off about him; as the swordsman turned to him, flickers of a dark aura emerged from his body like sparks of fire. This gave him a negative vibe that something malicious is at work, but he doesn't know what at the moment.

The blond man then answered, "Never heard of her." He paused. "I'm only here for Hercules."

"That's too bad. I heard he's not present for this tournament," Riku pointed out to him, "If you're looking for him, you came at the wrong time."

The blond raised a brow at him. "He's not here? Then…what am I doing here?"

For a moment, it seemed liked the swordsman was starting to second-guess himself and his reason for being in the coliseum in the first place. Perhaps he doesn't have a clear recollection of what he's doing at the arena, or what reason he joined to begin with?

Unfortunately, before any questions could be exchanged, things immediately go wrong really fast. True to his worst of suspicions, the swordsman abruptly charged right at him, meaning to land a hard blow on him. Fortunately, Riku knew better than to stay in one spot and hastily dodged out of the way, narrowly avoiding the little shockwave caused by the thrust of the giant blade. But that didn't last long as he is forced to put up his guard when the giant blade came to clash against his.

As blades scraped against one another, Riku finally got to see what was really wrong with his opponent. A dark aura permeated around the swordsman's body as his entire body moved like that of a puppet on invisible strings, and the blue eyes appeared to be naught but a blank blue slate with no light emitting from within. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that this man is under someone's control, and is using the darkness to do the dirty work. It reminded him of what he had experienced when he was under Ansem's control, except that his body was directly taken over rather than having puppet strings attached on him. But who is responsible for this level of trouble occurring in the arena?

"Holy hydras, is it really that hard to get the competition out of the way? Come on! Work with me here, buddy."

Riku looked over his shoulder to see a familiar ugly mug that he really didn't want to see now: it's Hades, the god of the Underworld. At the very least, he is able to identify the culprit behind the sabotage within the coliseum; however, at the same time, he really wished that he didn't have to deal with the machinations of the lord of the dead who really should've found something better to do than manipulating people and holding a revenge against someone who hasn't directly done him any wrong – or did he do something that made the god angry? He can't remember the details too well.

"Help…me…"

The strained voice made Riku shift his attention back to the blond warrior as he saw a small struggle to resist the unwilling urge to cause harm. He seemed to be feeling in a lot of pain, which made him almost pity the poor soul who got mixed up in all of this.

"I…don't mean…to fight you…" the swordsman struggled to speak, "I just… Hades, he…"

That's when it clicked in Riku's mind. This man must've been trifled with during the gauntlet tournament, and as a result was brainwashed into eliminating the other competitors! Then that must explain what the poor guy is going through; he must've had something in his heart manipulated and exploited for the benefit of the conniving Greek god, and he's quite sure that the report about the real champion appearing in the next tourney had something to do with the problem at hand. That means he'll have to do something about his opponent before dealing with Hades personally.

But even that wasn't going to be cakewalk, not with this stranger demonstrating his strength and skill as a fighter. The giant sword alone gave him a lot more reason to be careful since he doesn't want to be on the receiving end of the blade, more so as to not get caught in the middle of the impacts the blade would make when forced onto the ground through one of the attacks – some of which can either shake the ground with a shockwave or unleash a wave of energy in one go.

By all accounts, Riku is somewhat accustomed to dealing with swords since he used to play with those things with Sora and some of their friends back home. But he opted to best stay on the move until he can seize just one window of opportunity to knock this man down – if only just to put him out of commission for a while so that he won't be able to give him more trouble when he turns his attention to Hades. Thanks to his natural prowess, though, he's able to stay on his toes and prod at the swordsman with quick hits of fireballs and swift strikes while he's left an opening. Then, as soon as he found the right window of opportunity to do so, he moved in as quickly as he could and laid a strong enough hit against a weak spot, causing the blond warrior to lose consciousness and collapse to the ground incapacitated.

Now that that's out of the way, Riku turned his attention to the Greek god, ready to give him the beat-down he certainly deserves. Needless to say, he was not happy at the fact that someone had to mess things up.

"Alright, the jig's up. You gonna spill what you were trying to do like an idiot or aren't you?" he grilled.

Realizing things aren't going his way, Hades begun seething with anger. "What d'ya mean 'like an idiot'?! I just should've known that the stick in the mud wasn't going to cut it! And I just made a sweet little deal with him when I found him making his way through the arena: win the tournament, and I help him get a shot at having a one-on-one duel with Hercules to the DEATH! And I was even generous enough to give him a little power boost – a touch of darkness to give him a little extra push to hustle along."

"Well, that explains why your little pawn was acting so sour earlier," Riku deadpanned.

The god didn't find it amusing. "Haha, trying to be funny, are you? Well, laugh all you like, but you're about to become barbeque in a few seconds!"

"Riku! There you are!"

Before things got a bit more hectic, Riku and Hades turned around to find Noir arriving on the scene. The former was relieved to find her okay, and got a bit of a surprise when she ran up to him and embraced him tightly like a worried mother would when separated from their child for too long.

"You had me worried when we got separated, Riku! Don't scare me like that," she pleaded as she held him.

"Didn't mean to do that," he replied sheepishly.

At this point, Hades' anger exploded. "GAAAH! Alright, I've had enough messing with things behind the scenes this time. You, young squirt – and you, too, stranger lady – are about to get a free round against the Lord of the Dead, no holds barred edition! And the rule for this match is: there are no rules! Have at you!"

If anybody is to give an expression of an event turning up the heat, this fight would fit the bill quite perfectly. Hades' penchant for unleashing his fiery wrath in every way matched his perpetually fickle temper, and it doesn't help that he literally unleashes a firestorm that could scorch anyone who dares challenge him head-on. The duo pretty much had to stay on the move if they want to have any chances of surviving the inferno of a god who rules over the underworld.

"Does this man's rage know no bounds?" Noir had to question under fire.

"This guy? Pfft! He doesn't even care about keeping his temper," Riku scoffed knowingly.

Their banter got interrupted when Hades let loose fireballs from the edges of his spindly fingers, homing in on them and subsequently forcing them to keep moving so as to not get scorched for their troubles. Not only that, but there were instances where he would attempt to give chase at them with fire streaming out of his hands like he wants to come after them and burn them alive as soon as he's seized them.

"Having fun yet? I'm starting to get warmed up," Hades taunted as his temper started to flare, "Feel the heat!"

With a surge of his red-hot temper, Hades burst into flames and unleashed a stream of fire from both sides of his arms as he moved around, trying to incinerate them. But Noir was ready for him when she summoned her Guardian to aid them.

"Tenebrae, shield Riku from the infernos!" she called out.

Just as the fiery stream made its way to him, Tenebrae emerged behind him just in time to raise her cloak in defense against the blazing embers; this gave Riku just enough time to pounce out from another angle and lay the smack-down on the conniving god until he's been pushed over to the edge of the arena. By the time Hades realized that he's been cornered, he's already trying to feebly attempt to sugarcoat the situation and sweet-talk his way out of being kicked out of the arena – or worse, terminated by two hands that really don't to waste their time with this monster who messed everything up.

"Ahaha…Okay, okay, maybe we got off on the wrong foot here," he tried to reason nervously, "I mean, you've already done a real number on me, and – great! Great! – You two are really something! I must've been betting on the wrong horse yet again. Happens all the time, you know. The Trojans did that before, so how am I any better? So, c'mon, why don't we just cut losses and call a little compromise on this, alright? You guys let me go free, and I'll just say that you two beat me fair and square and we'll just walk our separate ways without –"

But after all the mayhem they had to deal with confronting him, Riku and Noir couldn't help giving annoyed glares that signaled that they're having none of this god's load of bull. So, eager for a little payback, Noir gave the gesture to let her younger companion do the honors of giving the creep what he deserves. Riku, eager to get a little revenge, carefully lined himself up for one big swing and – with just one swipe of the flat end of his blade – batted the Lord of the Dead hard enough to send him careening into the skies and flying out of the coliseum for a good long while, all the while hearing Hades make an empty threat as he was sent soaring.

 _"_ _YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THAT, YOU –"_

But they didn't get to catch the last parts he was shouting to them; they just didn't care. The only thing that mattered to them is that they didn't have to see that sleazy god for a good long while.

* * *

When things have finally calmed down, Phil arrived at the scene just in time to find out what went down. After explaining everything, the satyr had an important announcement.

"Considering the mess that Hades made, we're gonna have to cancel this tournament for a while," Phil told them.

Noir looked at him, confused. "What for, sir? Did we do something wrong?"

"I got two words for you: Everyone! Is! Beat! C'mon, I can't run a tournament while everybody's exhausted," Phil explained, "so I'm closing up until further notice."

Riku let out a muffled sigh. "So much for that…"

He couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed about it. He had hoped he would be able to test his strength, see if he has what it takes to battle the darkness that he regretted taking in. Now how will he know whether or not he'll be able to conquer it for good?

"Hey, look, you two performed admirably for a pair of strangers. And to be able to kick out Hades like you did - that's saying a lot," the satyr assured them, "Maybe when everyone's top of their game again, I might be willing to let you guys in again, less hassle next time. 'Til that happens, you're just gonna have to settle for a little hiatus and take some time off to breathe, y' hear?"

There's just no arguing with the old goat on that one; and besides, they still have to keep going through the basement.

As the satyr started walking away to check up on the lobby, Riku and Noir are quickly distracted when they heard light groaning behind them. They turned around to find that the blond swordsman had finally wakened from unconsciousness, slowly recovering from his knockout and heaving himself into an upright sitting position. It seemed like there's nothing wrong with him now that Hades' meddling has been broken from him; but now the young man appeared to be feeling like a lot of dirt for all the trouble that he made during the tournament. Perhaps he realized how much trouble he made when he came to his senses?

Riku approached him first as he apologized, "Hey. Sorry about hitting you like that. It was the only way to stop you."

The blond man shook his head. "No need. I just…didn't know what I was doing."

Noir, pitying him, sat down and asked him, "What exactly happened? What got you into this mess in the first place?"

"I was just entering to test myself, see if I have what it takes to best Hercules," the warrior replied, "But then, Hades… He promised me a way to beat out the competition if I agreed to help him. But instead, I…" He paused, shaking his head. "What happened after was just blurs. I might've said something that didn't sound like me. And I attacked a competitor without warning, not even realizing that I meant real harm. I just…"

"You lost control of yourself, didn't you?" Riku guessed. "I know that feeling. That happened to me before, and it almost made me lose my friends."

He surprised himself at how brutally honest he is about himself; but considering what he had just heard from this man, he couldn't help but feel some sympathy toward him for what horrors he had to go through. He couldn't resist thinking that what happened to that man was almost like watching a repeat of the nightmare he experienced under Ansem's control. While he's glad what the swordsman went through wasn't the same, it disgusted him what trickery Hades used.

"He means to say that he understands your shame, mister –" Noir started to speak.

"Cloud."

"Right…Cloud, Riku has told me of his horrors," she finished, "and he sympathizes with your problem. Nobody should have to be victimized by someone as conniving and cruel as Hades."

"So where will you go from here?" Riku asked.

There's a momentary silence before Cloud replied, "Don't know. I'll think of something." He got up, and began to walk away. "I don't want to lose myself again, that's for sure."

Without another word, Cloud left the coliseum alone, most likely with the intent on thinking over what damage he had almost done and coming to terms with the dark deeds he had been forced to do by a manipulative god. That left Riku and Noir alone to contemplate what they'll be doing next as soon as they leave this world. They know for sure that there will be more troubles waiting for them, though they don't know when exactly.

"That poor man…if he were my son, I would've feared the worst," Noir said aloud, unconsciously.

Riku turned to her, perplexed. "What? What do you mean?"

Catching herself, she realized what she said and answered, "Sorry… It's nothing. I was speaking without thinking." She paused a moment. "Anyway, we'd best be going. We won't know what will be waiting for us next, right?"

As they were leaving, though, Riku couldn't help but mentally question what on earth Noir said aloud. Just what was she talking about when she said 'if he were my son, I would've feared the worst' aloud? Did she have a child of her own, and something happened that might've given her a lot of grief? He never really tried to pry into her background too much because he didn't want to intrude on her personal affairs. But now he felt that spark of curiosity he had over her nature rekindled because he wants to know more about her. He wants to know what her family was like, and what the real reason or her venturing through the castle is. Maybe if they're back outside the halls of the castle basement, he'll seize this opportunity to speak with her and convince her to divulge everything she knew while they're still here.


	18. Chapter 17: Riku - Friend or Foe?

**Hello again. Lilith here.**

 **Sorry if this chapter is shorter than the last. I tried to make the most of it since it's the encounter with the replica Riku (though Sora and Luna don't know that's the case...yet).**

 **Anyways, since we're here, I just thought I'd give a little repeat of what I had brought up several chapters ago regarding my aim for 358/2 Days storyline. So far, a few fellow readers - Guest, Samantha Vi Tenebris, Zweig, and HiddenXEmotion - have been very generous in providing ideas for Disney worlds to explore as well as Final Fantasy characters they want put in for the next fic.**

 **In case there are newcomers who aren't in the know, I'm asking my dear readers and reviewers to help me out by offering suggestions on Disney worlds to put in my story since Luna is going to remain active while Sora's snoozing his ass off. Because the Disney category is pretty large, I had to lay down some ground rules on the qualifiers. So, if you didn't know about this before, I'll give the rundown on the rules:**

 **1) No Star Wars or Marvel.**

 **2) Live action movies (even with some animation mixed) are acceptable, provided that they were made entirely by Disney. So, no Roger Rabbit.**

 **3) Pixar is open for acceptance. Just don't suggest Toy Story since it's confirmed as a world for KH3.**

 **4) Studio Ghibli films are fair game, provided that they were dubbed by Disney. Princess Mononoke is disqualified.**

 **5) TV shows made by Disney are not accepted since I haven't watched a lot of them.**

 **6) Lastly, any anime that hasn't been dubbed by Disney is not accepted. So, don't suggest anything Shonen Jump, Funimation, Aniplex, etc.**

 **And to add more flavor, I have allowed the bonus of allowing you to suggest Final Fantasy characters you would want to make guest appearances in my fic. Whether it's a hero, a heroine, a villain, someone underrated, or anything in between is fair game to me. You can suggest more than one character if you want to. :)**

 **And don't be shy on giving me reasons why you want a Disney world or Final Fantasy character to be entered. I'm all ears! ;)**

 **And now, back to the show!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 17: Riku – Friend or Foe?

Forcing the doors open, Luna just barely escaped and returned to the white halls before her legs finally gave out from under her. After the confrontation she had with Zexion over reasons that she couldn't fully understand, she didn't know what to make of everything up to this point. She felt as though there's something missing in this puzzle that she can't solve by herself. Her mixed-up memories are not helping her in the slightest as she has trouble discerning what the newly revived memories are revealing that she doesn't fully remember too well. Just what is she starting to remember, and what part does it play with her?

"What's going on…? Those memories…" she asked, her voice cracking from distress, "What am I remembering that I don't understand? I don't…I don't like that memory of those eyes…"

 _"_ _Hey, just calm down and take a breath, girl!"_ Medea chastised her from inside the shadows, _"Freaking out's not gonna sort things out for ya."_

She could tell that her Guardian just wants her to keep a level head and sort it out properly before she jumps to conclusions too quickly. But the memories that resurfaced brought her more questions than answers, and one of them frightened her horribly. She couldn't figure out what was allowing those peculiar memories to return so suddenly. If only she could tell someone about what's going on…

"Luna? Is it you?"

Upon registering the familiar voice, Luna instantly looked up to find…Riku! It had to be him; she'd know the silvery hair, the aquamarine eyes, and the yellow and blue clothes anywhere. But what is he doing here in Castle Oblivion, and how did he get here in the first place? Right now, she didn't care; she just wanted to know if it's really him, returned from the dark realm after closing the door. Impulsively, she ran over to him and held him tightly like a lifeline, apparently surprising him in the process.

"Riku…is it really you? I'm not dreaming, am I?" she asked shakily, "You're really here?"

Riku chuckled at her as he embraced her. "Of course it's me, Luna. I promised I'd come back, didn't I?"

Luna nodded. "You did promise…I remember."

As overjoyed as she is to finally see a familiar face after encountering those people in the black coats, she couldn't help feeling herself trembling ceaselessly. Apparently, he noticed this, and quickly became concerned for her.

"Hey, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," he asked her.

What should she tell him? Should she tell him about her encounter with Zexion? Should she tell him about the forgotten memories that resurfaced? Or should she tell him about Nero, hear what he has to say about him? Probably not the third option, since she couldn't help noticing how much Nero dislikes it whenever certain names are mentioned. Perhaps she should ask for help on the memories she regained, try and figure out what they're supposed to be if they're supposed to be missing pieces of her past like the recovered memories of old friends from childhood.

Swallowing some of her fears, Luna replied nervously, "Riku…I've started to remember things. But the memories…one of them frightened me. I don't know how or why, but something is coming back, and I'm scared about it. What if…more frightening memories come back to me, and I don't know what it's about? I don't…know…"

Her words faltered as she lost her train of thought, unable to keep her story straight as she felt herself on the brink of tears from resurfacing horror lingering in her mind. Or at least, she would've been about ready to cry if she didn't feel Riku's arms fold around her, one of his hands gently petting her head to comfort her distress. Despite how strange and confusing the situation is, it felt rather calming for her to be soothed by someone dear to her after all the discord she's been through with her friends since entering the castle.

"Hey, it's going to be okay now, Luna. I know someone who can help you," he promised her, "She's been wanting to see you for quite a while, more so since you got here. She's expecting us right now, so we can't keep her waiting."

The instant she heard him mention that there's someone who can help her, Luna couldn't help questioning just who 'she' is that Riku is talking about. Was he referring to Namine, the mystery girl everybody seems to be talking about lately? If so, what does he know about her? Before she could ask him what he knows, however, the sound of the doors opening reached her ears and footsteps followed along not long after that. She could hear the boys' voices behind her, and all of them are expressing worry and confusion as to what could've happened while they were separated from the girls upon entrance to one of the worlds they were visiting.

"Gawrsh, I sure hope the girls made it out okay," Goofy said, uneasy.

"If one of those guys in the black coats messed with them, I'm givin' them a dose of my magic when I find out who did it!" Donald swore threateningly.

"If it was one of them, we would've noticed something," Nero pointed out.

"C'mon, guys, this is Luna and Medea we're talking about," Sora reminded them, "They can take care of themselves in a pinch."

Luna turned around to find Sora and the boys have returned to the castle halls from whatever world they were passing through. When Sora's attention moved elsewhere, he immediately felt relief at seeing Luna again, but then he abruptly let out a shocked sound from his mouth when he saw that someone is there with her – someone that he recognized right off the bat. It's Riku. On Nero's part, though, a dark, jealous look quickly crossed his face as he saw Luna in the hands of someone that he isn't too fond of seeing; in fact, most didn't quite realize that he has his hand reaching for his broadsword as though he's ready to fight someone.

"You're…Riku?!" Sora exclaimed as he came closer, "What are YOU doing here?"

Riku frowned at him as he got in front of Luna. "Not happy to see me? Lemme know if I'm getting in the way – ya know, of something's that more important."

This baffled Sora when he heard the harsh remarks directed at him. What is Riku saying? After they had been separated at the door, he and Luna have been trying to find him, yet why is he acting like he has issues with only him? Something must've gone wrong somehow without them knowing it.

"Huh? I didn't mean that…" he tried to explain.

Riku scoffed at him, though. "Spare the excuses. I bet that you had all but forgotten about me."

"Are you crazy? C'mon. Luna and I came all this way looking for YOU!" Sora insisted.

"But you're not anymore, right?" Riku asked, hinting his rebuke more at Sora. "Now it's only…Namine that you're looking for. You don't care about me. Just like you never cared at all, about her feelings."

"Namine's…" Sora was having trouble understanding.

Riku let out a scoff. "I knew it. Never even gave it a thought, did you? Just cuz you want to see Namine – sorry – doesn't go both ways." He then pointed a finger at Sora like he's accusing him of something. "Tell ya the truth, Namine doesn't even want to look at your face. She only wants to see Luna."

"Why not!?" Sora asked, confounded.

"You should ask your memories…why Namine disappeared from the islands after Luna was discovered ill in her mind," he replied, "Remember that, and you'd know."

Donald and Goofy looked at each other, confused as to what the argument is about; they couldn't help thinking they're missing something from this tense talk. But for Sora and Luna, they felt perplexed as to what Riku is talking about regarding Namine and about her mysterious disappearance from the islands after Luna arrived in her broken mental state. Sora felt this more so, however, as he insisted that he knew Namine in the past before Luna came along; he couldn't help getting the sinking feeling that he didn't have a clue as to what really happened back then as a boy.

"Did I…Did I do something?" he asked, uncertainty creeping up. "Is it my fault? Riku…"

Before their eyes, a flash of dark energy surrounded Riku's form, and when the aura settled, he stood in the dark armor that he had brandished when he had slipped deeper into the darkness before Ansem took possession of him. He didn't seem to have the warning signs of Ansem's machinations; however, it appeared as though he intentionally tapped into the power of the dark with the intent on striking against anyone who got in his way. When she saw this, Luna quickly backed away in dread, fearing what he might do if provoked; Sora, on the other hand, could only stand in disbelief at the sight in front of him.

"Go home, Sora. I'll care for Namine and Luna," Riku ordered. He summoned his blade into his hand. "Anyone who goes near them…goes through me!"

Without warning, he lunged straight towards Sora, forcing the Keyblade wielder to raise his blade in defense and stop his friend from getting close to landing a hit on him. A struggle occurred between them as Sora tried to comprehend what was happening right now.

"What's – What's wrong with you?" Sora demanded, "We're supposed to be friends!"

Riku rolled his eyes, not believing a thing he's hearing. "Please, Sora. Since when have you ever cared about me? Namine's not the only one who's sick of looking at you. So am I!"

"Riku, stop it!" Sora implored to no avail as he forced his friend away from him.

"Why bother talking some sense into him?" Nero asked as he stepped in the fray. "I say he's not worth the trouble."

Riku leered warily at Nero's presence. "So you're the self-proclaimed 'long lost brother' walking around the place. Do you really believe that Luna wants to be around you?"

"Of course she does! I'm her brother," Nero replied bitterly, readying his broadsword. "And as her brother, I say that you are a problem when you're around my sister."

"I don't remember asking you to butt in," Riku retorted back at him. "Stay out of Luna's and my business, or I'll have to make you."

Nero's brow twitched irritably. "Try and stop me. I dare you!"

There was just no persuading any of the boys to stop fighting each other at this point. Sora and Nero took their confrontation against Riku directly, but for different reasons than what the other would expect. Sora wanted to convince Riku to stop opposing them and join up with them to find and save Namine, whereas Nero seemed to want to force Riku to break away from Luna for unknown reasons. Donald and Goofy, unfortunately, couldn't do anything to stop the three boys from feuding between one another; it seemed that the fight occurring is a lot more personal than they thought it was.

On Luna's part, though, she is thoroughly distressed at what's going on within her vicinity. She couldn't understand why Riku is behaving in a hostile fashion as soon as Sora and Nero arrived on the scene; he was open and caring as soon as she encountered him, and he even implied wanting to help her when she was experiencing an emotional crisis. So what possessed him to actively oppose Sora and Nero? What did they do to make him angry at them?

As the fight was going on, Medea emerged from the shadows to assess the situation and is surprised to find that there's a feud raging between three boys and nobody else is doing something about the problem.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asked in appall at the spectacle.

Luna turned to her Guardian. "Medea…I don't understand what's happening. Riku is angry at Sora, and Nero hates Riku for no reason! Why do the boys have to fight like this? Why can't we just talk about it, and maybe work something out?"

Medea felt disturbed by the news. "Are you serious!? And I thought Sora and Riku are past this nonsense after the crap that Ansem pulled!"

"That's what I thought. But now…" her voice cracked a moment before she continued, "I don't know. Riku was as he always is when it was just us – caring and supportive. But as soon as Sora and Nero came in, he's being hostile toward them like they're enemies – and he acts like I'm endangered by them. Why is that?"

For once, Medea had no answer to those questions; not even she understands what the problem is right now. The most she can understand is that there's something wrong with Riku, and they don't know what it is.

Throughout the confrontation occurring between the three boys, it's noticed that Nero is fighting a lot more aggressively than he was when he traveled with them through the card-worlds. However, it seemed that Riku is proving to be more than capable of fending him off than he thought; it's almost as though he possesses more combat experience than Nero ever did, and they don't even know what he's been through after the fight against Ansem.

"What does Luna see in you, anyway?" Nero grilled for answers. "Clearly she knows about the things you did before."

"At least I don't lie to her on a constant basis!" Riku rebuked back at him. "Where I'm standing, you're the one who's being a hypocrite."

In Sora's case, even though he's slightly struggling to deal with the fight, at the very least he's more than capable of holding his ground against his friend after the confrontations he's been through when they had been at each other's throats before. But this time appeared to be far different from when he would be sabotaged at every turn; he noticed that Riku was behaving as though he's a danger to Luna and Namine's safety, and he didn't understand what happened to make him think this way with him. Was somebody else manipulating him into fighting against him other than Ansem? Or was there some other reason for his peculiar behavioral patterns that he hasn't figured out yet?

"C'mon, Riku, just talk to me!" Sora implored, "What did I do to hurt Namine, or Luna for that matter?"

Riku, however, didn't seem remotely interested in answering directly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Before long, the confrontation soon ended in a stalemate; Nero was not able to take down his perceived enemy and Sora was unable to acquire any answers as to why Riku is opposing the both of them. Not helping things is that Riku suddenly ran away from the scene, leaving them to wrap their heads around the events that transpired – but not without Sora trying to implore to stop and explain himself.

"Riku, please wait!" he called out.

But his pleas went unheard, and Riku disappeared from sight. Sora felt more confused than he already is after that unforeseen duel; he couldn't understand why Riku was angry and resentful at him, let alone why he had the blame pointed at him for Namine's disappearance from the islands years ago. Nero, on the flipside, is visibly upset that his opponent had run off and left him no chance to continue the confrontation.

"Damn…he got away," Nero could be heard muttering under his breath.

When things seemed to have calmed down a bit, Donald immediately spoke up to express his confusion over the situation.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"How the hell should any of us know?" Medea replied, just as confounded as everyone else is. "It's not like any of us were prepared for Riku to get hostile at certain people."

"Gee, it was very strange. I wonder if something happened to him before he got here," Goofy wondered aloud.

Luna nodded in agreement. "I don't understand everything either. Something is wrong, very wrong."

Then, without warning, Sora suddenly ran off on them to the next floor, hoping to catch up with Riku and get answers out of him, forcing everyone else to catch up with him and maybe get him to calm down and assess the situation a little better after the chaos that occurred.

"Riku, where are you?" Sora called out, but found no trace of his friend.

Seeing as Riku is nowhere to be found, Sora felt his body droop from uncertain sadness as he struggled to comprehend the events that transpired. This worried the others as they feared that the confrontation might've made him upset at something that he don't fully understand; Goofy is the first to initiate his concerns for their friend's well-being.

"Sora, are you okay?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me," Sora replied sadly. He shook his head. "Riku…what happened to you?"

Right on cue, Jiminy emerged from the hood and thought over the strange events that he had witnessed behind the scenes.

"Hmm… Sure was strange," Jiminy admitted, puzzled at what happened. "Almost like Ansem was back controlling Riku again."

Sora didn't feel too sure about it. "But we got rid of Ansem for good."

"If it was Ansem, Medea and I would've noticed something," Luna agreed. "We would've done something about it right away."

"Then I wonder what is wrong with Riku…" Goofy wondered aloud.

"He sounds like a troublesome kid, far as I'm concerned," Nero said, his pessimism strongly evident.

"Excuse me? How long have you been around that kid?" Medea asked crossly, "I may not have been around him long, but when we last saw him, the only reason he behaved like a jackass was because of the damn witch and Ansem put together. Luna and Sora have been around him longer than either of us, and from I've been able to understand, he was a hell of a lot nicer than this before the disaster with the darkness."

"Hold on… The king!" Donald interrupted as worry abruptly struck him, "If he's with Riku, then he might be in danger!"

That did sound worrisome when they thought about it. After all, at the door in the dark realm, the king and Riku were on the other side while helping them seal it tightly so that the Heartless wouldn't leak out too much after they had dealt with the real mastermind behind their invasion across all the worlds. If anything happened to Riku, chances are that the king might not be far off, having a little spot of trouble of his own trying to reach them. That should give them all the more reason to keep going through the castle until they found both of them.

However, Sora still felt bothered about everything that he experienced with Riku; Luna noticed this, too, and she grew worried about whether there would be more problems with Riku later on, considering how he seemed to hate Sora all over again while he was gentler around her. Jiminy noticed this, and decided to give them a little counseling to ease their fears.

"Sora, I know…You're thinking that Riku isn't your friend," Jiminy consoled, first speaking with Sora. "But that's not true."

"Ya sure?" Sora asked.

"Well, I know he said awful things to you back there," the cricket replied, "But you gotta remember – we are in Castle Oblivion. Why, folks lose their memories here a little bit at a time. Riku's probably just forgotten that the two of you were such close friends, that's all."

"So he just forgot?" Sora asked, concerned about what Jiminy meant.

"My guess is that's so," Jiminy replied, "But Sora, instead of being sad, we need to figure out a way to help Riku get his memory back. If we all work together, why, we're sure to get through this. No need to mope."

"Jiminy's right. You shouldn't push your friends away," Goofy agreed wholly, with Donald nodding his head in agreement with his friend.

The consolation the cricket offered lightened Sora's mood a bit. "Yeah. Okay."

Then, Jiminy turned over to Luna to have a word with her. "Now, then…Luna, I've noticed that you seemed to be under a lot of distress. Do you mind telling us what happened to you and Medea before we found you with Riku, and what went on when you met him again?"

Somehow, Luna had a nagging feeling that someone was going to be addressing what she's been through after they had entered through the door on the previous floor and what followed afterwards. But then again, what did happen earlier certainly must've raised a lot of alarm in the boys when they didn't see her with them. Knowing there is no avoiding the questions (especially if it's a cricket who doubles as a living conscience), she decided she might as well try and explain what she went through and hopefully not have any of the boys get the urge to hunt down whoever gave her trouble to begin with.

"Well…when we went through the door, Medea and I found ourselves someplace completely different," Luna replied nervously, "I…I don't know how to describe it, really. But while we were there, we encountered another one of those people in the black coats." She paused to notice that Sora and Donald immediately flashed a suspicious glare, warning her that they think it might be either Axel or Larxene. "But it wasn't either of those two people we met earlier. It was someone else…a young man. And…he claimed that he knew me before, years ago before I disappeared as he told me. I didn't understand it until I was reminded about the ice cream stick I carried with me for so long."

That got Nero's attention, baffling him. "An ice cream stick? Why would anyone talk about that little thing?"

"What, it's not obvious? That emo used that question to bring back a lost memory in my master's brain," Medea answered on her behalf, albeit with a bit of sass. "Not that it did her any favors since he was trying to kidnap her thanks to being separated from you guys."

But Sora had other questions he wanted to address to Luna. "But what about when she was with Riku? When we arrived, he was acting hostile, mainly at me and Nero. What was going on before we came out of the world we went through?"

"I was about to ask her that," Jiminy stated, admitting his curiosity. "Surely he was different when she was around."

Luna hesitated a bit, but then gave her answer. "It was…it was a bit unexpected. I just got out of our encounter with that stranger, and I was surprised to find Riku there. But when I spoke to him, he was very gentle and understanding. He even tried to console me when I was feeling scared, and…well…he said that he knew someone who could help me, and that he wanted to bring me to her. If I knew any better, I should've realized that he meant –"

"That he was talking about Namine?" Sora interrupted, putting two and two together.

Luna nodded. "Yes, I think he was referring to her."

That helped the cricket understand what she's gone through. "I see… So someone attempted to come after you, but you and Medea managed to escape. And then, when you encountered Riku, he appeared to be acting the way you knew him, but then became dangerous around Sora and Nero because he thought they were a threat to you. That explains about the complication." He then looked up at Luna. "Now, don't worry, my dear. You're back with us, safe and sound. That's all that matters right now. And besides, no matter what happens, you still have good friends who can help you out when you need it most. Okay?"

Luna felt a bit more at ease with Jiminy's heartwarming counseling. At least there is someone among them who can give a voice of reason as well as comfort when things seem to be feeling very rough for them. It helped relieve a little of her distress, if only for a little while.

"Thank you, Jiminy. I think I'll be okay for now," Luna said in gratitude.

To help Sora and Luna along a little more, Donald took his turn to cheer them up with a little something that he still remembered for the moment; it was still better than nothing to remember, considering where they are right now.

"Sora, Luna, do you remember our very first promise?" he asked them. Then, he and Goofy answered in unison. "Always smile!"

"That was the promise we made to each other the first time we met," Goofy added. "We promised to never forget to keep smiling!"

Sora couldn't help smiling when he remembered that promise. "You're right."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do that if any of us is feeling down," Luna agreed.

"Tell me about it. The last thing I want to see is a perpetually gloomy person," Medea added with sarcasm not well hidden.

Off to the side, Nero couldn't help murmuring to himself, "If only I could smile more…"


	19. Chapter 18: Confession of Troubled Heart

**Hello, everyone. Lilith here.**

 **Excuse me for taking a break like this. I was getting my Valentine's business prepared, because I wanted to do something special. But at least I had a good Valentine's Day, so that's great.**

 **Also, if this chapter felt incredibly shorter than the last, I apologize about it. I wanted to have a small breather from the whole combat affairs. This chapter is more conversation-focused, wanting this to play a little like a therapy session, if you know what I'm saying.**

 **But I promise you that the next chapter will have another round in the ring with the brainwashed copycat, and I will do my damnest to make it interesting as much as possible. Besides, we have to get to the good stuff eventually - and by the good stuff, I mean, the spoiler territories that will make us say that s**t is gonna go down, if you know what I'm saying.**

 **While we're at it, if anyone is not too busy, I'm still open for requests on Disney worlds and/or Final Fantasy characters to insert in my next KH fanfic story, which will occur after this one is finished (when I get to that point). Some reviewers and fellow writers have been generous to give me good ideas, so please don't be shy to give your input - or for that matter, give me details on why you request the following worlds or FF characters to be brought in.**

 **All you gotta do is PM me or leave your ideas/suggestions in a review.**

 **Just be sure to read the rules established in the previous chapter if you need a recap.**

 **To iwaskitten: It'll get a lot more insane. Trust me.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

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Chapter 18: Confessions of Troubled Hearts

"Hey, Noir. I've got a question for you."

After leaving the coliseum and returning to the castle basement's halls, Riku has been waiting for the opportunity to have a talk with Noir on what secrets she's hiding that he doesn't know about yet. Although he had no doubts that she's a very capable woman – and, really, he doesn't deny that she's been of great help ever since he invited her to come along through the basement – and that she has some awareness of something suspicious going on within the castle, he couldn't help thinking over some of the peculiar things she spoke about from time to time. He wondered if something personal happened to her in the past that motivated her to dare to venture into the mysterious castle, something that probably affected her in ways possibly worse than what he's gone through.

But now that they're out, he finally found his chance to get what answers he can get from her. He wanted to know more about her, but he knew that there is the likely possibility that she wouldn't be willing to reveal everything to him in one sitting. For all he knew, there might be some painful memories that she wouldn't want to speak about even if persuaded to confess everything to him.

When she heard him speak, Noir turned to him with a curious look. "Is there something troubling you, Riku?"

He hesitated for a moment as he carefully searched for the right words to say.

"I guess there is. I didn't want to ask a lot of questions about you," Riku admitted, "but after what's happened so far, I'm actually starting to wonder what more I don't know about you. You handle your powers like Luna does, you seem to know certain people that I don't know at all, and your reasons for being in this castle in the first place have given me more questions than answers lately. If there's anything you're hiding, Noir, then I'd feel a lot better if you'd come clean about yourself."

Noir was dumbstruck. She had no idea that Riku had his suspicions on how much she knew about the situation, let alone that she has secrets to hide from him; she almost believed that the reason Riku didn't question her about herself too much was because he thought it disrespectful to pry into other people's business. But now, he makes it clear that he has questions, and he is not going anywhere else until he gets answers out of her.

Then again, regarding her motivations for coming here, she has been rather dubious in explaining why she's here to begin with; and she has said and done certain things that certainly raised her younger companion's eyebrows time to time. She didn't want to betray Riku's trust after all the trouble they went through to move up the castle basement; he had his reasons for wanting to fight his way through, and she had hers, and the both of them got themselves mixed up with Ansem as well as the people that are apparently doing something suspicious in the castle that hasn't been uncovered yet. Perhaps it would be in her best interest to come clean to Riku about herself, as he said himself.

"I suppose you're right, Riku. Much of my behavior and motives has been…questionable at most," Noir agreed reluctantly, "Perhaps I should've been more honest about myself from the start, considering how you were willing to let me accompany you through the castle until you found your friends."

As she made the motion to sit down somewhere, a Dark Hand emerged from behind her; its front palm flattened enough to allow her to get comfortable on it like it was a chair. Another one formed besides her meant for someone else to use as she carefully gestured Riku to take a seat next to her before she can proceed to explain herself. Though it was a little bit weird to be doing so with a conjuration of a hand, he complied with the invitation anyway and hoisted himself on the Hand next to her side.

Once he seems comfortable, Noir asked him, "Now, then…what would you like to know? Where do you want to start with your questions?"

"Well…how about telling me where you heard Luna's name?" Riku asked her for starters, "For that matter, do you even know her?"

A momentary silence filled the hall as he waited patiently for her to answer his first question. Perhaps since it felt very personal to her, she needed to think over how best to answer before she spilled anything.

Then, she answered solemnly. "Years ago, I had two children, a son and a daughter respectively. Despite their differences in heritage, I loved them both all the same. But…too much happened that broke my heart, and I regret to say that I've made several serious mistakes that forcibly parted me from my loved ones – first my husband, and then my son." She paused as she shook her head sadly. "When I learned that my daughter had disappeared after the Heartless overran a world I knew of, I feared the worst. Fortunately, though, a dear friend located her, safe in another world with young children supporting her."

When Riku heard the last bit, he quickly connected that she must've learned about Luna's whereabouts pointing to him and his friends being among those taking care of Luna when she was ill. It's rather peculiar that she didn't know any of them, but perhaps knowing that she's safe for a time gave her some comfort. Perhaps something traumatic happened that made her life a living horror, breaking her emotionally and mentally, which would explain why she claims she made a lot of personal mistakes, whatever they may be. But if that's the case, then wouldn't that mean…?

"And your daughter's name was…" he started to deduce what's up.

Her eyes shifted toward him knowingly. "Her name is Luna."

That hit him like he had just slammed right in front of a brick wall. He thought he had noticed something similar between Luna and Noir in the matter of their powers and the works earlier, but it never crossed his mind that the two of them actually are related in any way. In fact, if he had been more attentive to her appearance, he would've noticed that the resemblance with each other is quite strong from the start; though, he could easily spot that there are still a few key differences as far as their looks.

After hearing this, he felt dumbfounded. "Is this a joke?"

"If it were a joke, I wouldn't have said my daughter's name," Noir replied, implying she's actually serious, "and I wouldn't have answered your first question."

"Fair enough," he agreed.

After she chuckled at his response, she moved on to the next matter. "Now, then…what's your second question?"

"Would you mind telling me what you're really doing in this castle?" Riku asked, getting straight to the point.

Her reply came as such, "This place…was once a beautiful world. But when I came here, I found that it became a barren and isolated land, enveloped in shadow around it." She paused. "When I first arrived here, I meant to investigate it in order to find answers as to what happened that made this castle feel a bit out of place. But because I sensed the presence of other beings roaming around inside, I opted to start my search elsewhere within. However…I found nothing that could clue me in as to what transpired here, let alone the reason why this castle appeared in place of what I used to know."

"I'd bet that those people in the black coats are the reason searching is difficult," he suspected.

She nodded. "Yes, they certainly were."

In hindsight, Riku couldn't deny that if he had been the one to search the place had he had more liberties to do so, he probably would've had some difficulties doing so with potentially dangerous people also involved in a suspicious place like this. He would've wanted to avoid them as much as possible unless someone does get suspicious and hunts him down. But that wasn't the case; someone did meet them, and took advantage of them, leading to other events beyond their control.

Then, Noir asked him directly, "Do you have any other questions, or is your curiosity sated for the moment?"

He shrugged. "It'll do for a while. If any others crop up, I'll have to figure it out for myself before asking you."

"Alright, then, if that's you want to do," Noir agreed before she put her focus on him, "So, do you mind if I ask you a question? May I inquire as to how you first met Luna, and how you came to know her?"

Somehow, Riku had a feeling that she would question him about it eventually, considering how he has mentioned his friends several times and that they had been involved in helping with Luna's recovery. Perhaps she wanted to know what it took for them to help her daughter get better over the course of nine years, especially since she had implications of awareness that Luna is at the islands in safe hands – or was, until the darkness arrived and consumed the islands due to the invasion of the Heartless.

After a moment, Riku told his side of the story to his partner. "I was just a little kid when Sora and I first met her. Luna was a sweet and curious child, but very shy when she first met us. To my knowledge, she did say she wasn't from our world." He chuckled a bit. "I still remember how she asked a lot of questions about the island like she's never been on one her entire life." But then his face fell. "A year later, though…everything was different from before."

"What happened?" Noir asked, worried.

He shook his head grimly. "When Sora and I heard that an ill child was brought into the hospital, we went there with our parents and found that – to our shock – the child brought in was Luna. But there was…there was something wrong with her. She was having difficulty talking, mobility was impaired, and she was in a constant state of terror. The doctors had never seen so much traumatic stress in a child in a long time, as far as I knew."

When Noir listened to the sad story, her face fell with horror at hearing about what state Luna was in when she arrived at the islands. She had known that something horrible happened that severely scarred her daughter's psyche, but she never imagined that this boy and his friend would actually witness her symptoms firsthand. Was it the same traumatic breakdown she saw when she first intervened to help her child, or was it something else entirely? She opted not to ask about it as he continued his tale when he brought up what went on after the discovery.

"After getting the diagnosis from the doctors, Kairi and Luna were adopted together, and all three of us pretty much checked up on her daily," he continued his story, "For at least a couple years, it wasn't easy helping her adjust. She had trouble interacting with new people because she was extremely shy around them, she would have nightmares frequently, and she wouldn't even speak about her past…mostly because we thought the memories she might've had were too painful for her to recall." He paused as his face lightened up. "But after a while, she slowly started to make a lot of positive improvements. She began interacting with the other kids, though she still was somewhat shy around them. She would also join in most games we'd do together, and her adoptive parents found it a lot easier to communicate with her since she's finally come out of her shell."

Curious about the new people involved, she asked him, "Who were the people that adopted Luna? What are they like?"

"Pretty much fellow islanders, like us," Riku replied, "Their names are Hiroshi and Yoko. They're a very friendly bunch, considering how they're happy to adopt Kairi and Luna as their own. If you met them, you'd probably like them."

Hearing the complimentary words coming from him about the adoptive parents he apparently knew convinced her that these people sound like a very friendly and hospitable couple to be around. Maybe she could ask to be introduced later on should they arrive at his home world, find out more about them.

Now she felt curious about their other friend. "So, what about this 'Kairi' you've mentioned? What kind of person is she?"

"She's a friend we've known since she arrived on the islands, not long after Luna did," Riku replied. When he saw Noir raise a brow, he knew she was a bit baffled. "Honestly, we don't know how she got there. But what we did know is that she had no known family we were aware of, which is why she was adopted by the mayor. It was her idea to have Luna adopted with her. From there, the two behaved like inseparable sisters."

"And what about this 'Sora'?" she asked him, more intrigued than ever, "You weren't shy about mentioning him sometimes."

He chuckled at her fascination. "Sora's a friend of mine. We've known each other since we were very small. At every opportunity, we would get competitive over every little thing, and we would always play at the islands. It only got more interesting ever since Luna and Kairi came along and became our new friends."

Hearing Riku's story gave her the impression that he and his friends have made many good memories together prior to whatever disaster came over to them. But if what she had heard between Riku and Ansem is true to any extent, something terrible happened that dented their close relationships and almost endangered them. From what she could understand, he had done something that hurt the friendship he treasured, and it almost gave Ansem the opportunity to threaten their lives for no good reason. After that, who knows how much regret Riku carries on him? She does know, though, that he really longs to be back with his friends, and he wants to be freed from the burden of the bad memories of his past mistakes made because of the wrong crowd he got caught up with. This, she is well aware of because of what she had heard from him through the trip in Hollow Bastion.

However, it seemed like certain people just don't want Riku to give up what he came to despise precisely because of the malicious influence that moved him in the wrong direction. Ansem made it clear that he only views the boy as a pawn for his own selfish uses, and Vexen was more interested in the latent darkness still lingering inside him that he applied to that creation he brought into the world through scientific means; would any other enemy behave the same way should they confront them later on down the line? Personally, she didn't want to get ahead of herself on it.

"Come to think of it, as much as Sora loves to make mischief or slack off, he's always anxious to help someone when the chips are down," Riku admitted, "Luna, despite her introversion, always tried to help someone, too, sometimes to the point where she doesn't consider worrying about her own safety at the same time. It's no wonder those two didn't give up on me even after all the problems I piled up on them…"

"That's why you want to find them, am I right?" Noir remembered, "You said yourself you want to make it up to them. If they have been such good friends for you, then you should have faith that you'll be welcomed again if you succeed in fighting that which has hurt you."

Riku knew that she's right about it. For better or worse, he's been able to get pretty far with his journey, and Noir has been a lot of help along the way. He still has a long way to go to prove that he's not going to rely on the dark for power, let alone to get Ansem to leave him alone for good; but given what he's experienced through the card-worlds so far and the better scope he got from what few people he interacted with, he wants to believe that he's getting somewhere in fixing himself, even if it's just increments at a time.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Right now, I'm sure Sora and Luna are trying to find me," he agreed, more motivated than ever, "Well, I'll just have to surprise them by finding them first – as soon as I get the pesky Ansem off my back."

"Well, then, we'd better get started," Noir acknowledged as the both of them stood up, "Your friends are probably getting very impatient about you by now."

If that's the case, then at the very least Riku has more reason to get moving out of the basement as soon as possible. Besides, what are the odds that Sora's gotten himself distracted from finding him, let alone returning back to the islands where Kairi might be waiting? He knows that even Luna would have a hard time keeping him focused on one objective for even a few minutes, given how she's the only person who can find a reason to keep her focus on something important. It's how it's always been between them; he feels like he's been missing all of that for a long time even though it hasn't exactly been too long.


	20. Chapter 19: Riku - Round Two

**Round two. You know where this is going.**

 **Now that means I'll have to consider what to do for Riku's side of the misadventure. What to do, what to do... Oh, well, I'll think of something, I guess. Besides, it's my fic.**

 **Anyways, if anyone else has ideas for Disney worlds or Final Fantasy characters for the next fic, please let me know.**

 **All the same, enjoy the chapter!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 19: Riku – Round Two

The next world Sora and Luna went through with their companions is the sea kingdom of Atlantica. It was Nero's first time being in an underwater situation, but he was quite surprised that they didn't have to worry about not being able to breathe underwater. Not to mention, despite the water all around them, they didn't feel like they're being oppressed by the currents or the sea ground beneath them. When it came to the inhabitants, they were met with the mermaid princess Ariel, who was faced with the dilemma of losing a friend of hers if she didn't give the sea witch Ursula the trident that she craved. While Sora and Luna couldn't help but notice how devoted she is to saving her friend despite the risk she was getting into, Medea couldn't help commenting how she wished the actual Ariel thought about the concerns of her friends rather than behave like an immature rebel who can't understand the consequences for any irrational choices she makes. Regardless, they went out of their way to help Ariel save her dear fish friend and beating the sea witch at her own game so that Atlantica won't have to deal with the witch anytime soon.

When they left that world, though, they returned to the castle hall leading to the next floor to find Riku heading his way upstairs without even noticing they're here – that is, until Luna quickly identified him and ran over to meet up with him ahead of the others.

"Riku!" she called out.

When he saw her coming to him, he looked glad to see her as he took her hands. "Luna. You're here." But when he saw Sora coming behind him, his mood abruptly soured. "Take the hint… I thought I told you to go home."

"Not until Luna and I rescue you and Namine," Sora insisted.

"I don't remember ever asking **_you_** to rescue **_me_** ," Riku replied dismissively.

Medea frowned, muttering under her breath, "What, is he gonna need to be in a damsel in distress situation in order to get some persuasion?"

Using a little quick thinking on his part, Sora figured that he needed to try a different approach in convincing his friend to come back with them. If he won't follow along with the usual talk they would normally do, perhaps he could remind him of something important to them – maybe try and bait him with a certain promise that was made after stopping the Heartless from overflowing back in the dark realm.

"Did you forget? Kairi's there – waiting for all three of us to come home," Sora reasoned sweetly.

Luna certainly remembered that part still; they promised Kairi that they'd all return home together once they found Riku. She almost had half a mind to hope that the knowledge of Kairi would be enough to convince Riku to let go of whatever grudge he's carrying and come back home with them. Unfortunately, despite all the good reason to return to islands where they lived since childhood, he didn't seem to be guilt-tripped into joining them, much less convinced that he's wanted back home.

"You're the one who forgot. I told you at Kingdom Hearts when we closed the door… 'Take care of Kairi'," Riku reminded him.

Sora and Luna were quite surprised when he said the very words they heard; he remembered those last words he had said to them. But if he remembered his last words regarding Kairi, then why is he pushing Sora away? Why would he say this even though he insisted a moment ago that he didn't ask to be rescued at all? Was he able to save himself from being trapped behind the door, or did someone help him get out under certain conditions? Somehow they feel like they're missing something in this mess.

It got worse when Riku had this to say to Sora. "Give it up. I'm not going back to the islands – for anything."

That got Sora riled up. "It's not just for Kairi! What about the rest?"

"You can have those losers. Already forgot 'em," Riku replied dismissively.

When Luna heard this, she immediately felt alarmed at how nonchalantly he dismissed the people – his family, his friends, everyone - he knew on the islands. Was he unwilling to return to the islands so much that he purposefully forgot about them like they're nothing but a burden to him? Even Sora couldn't stand how his friend was behaving regarding everyone they've left behind after their adventures across the worlds; so much so that he brought his blade out in preparation for a potential confrontation.

"That's enough!" Sora demanded, meaning to call his friend out.

But Riku beat him to it when he asked, "What about you, Sora? Do you actually remember what they all look like?"

"Of course I rememb—" But just as Sora is about to prove he still remembers the people he mentioned, he suddenly stopped himself short as he hesitated to finish his sentence. That's when he realized that he hadn't thought about his memories of the people he knew on the islands…or did he?

While Sora was distracted from the difficult question given to him, though, Riku shifted his attention away from him over to Luna. When he did, she spotted his cold frown changing quickly into a softer face in no time as he carefully held her hands, as though he meant to assure no ill intents to her, more so when he asked her the similar question that he directed to Sora, but in a gentler manner so as not to offend her.

"What about you, Luna? Is there anything you still remember?" he asked her.

"Well…" Luna searched her memories, trying to recall something that's part of her. "I remember Hiroshi and Yoko back at the islands. And…there was a friend called Mickey, who helped friends I knew. They were…"

When she tried to remember more about the childhood friends she knew in her past, sinister images flashed through her mind again; but this time, she could see the visage of a person in malicious armor like the kind Riku is wearing minus the symbol of the Heartless – but something about the helmet, followed by the sadistic gold eyes frightened her so much that it almost made her want to scream in horror. But she didn't; instead, she felt herself collapsing to her knees as she held in head in terror and began breaking down crying.

When this happened, Riku immediately stepped in to support her, helping her back on her feet as he held her closer to him, quietly hushing her as he stroked her head delicately like he doesn't want to break her by accident.

"It's happening again, isn't it? It'll be okay, Luna. Once we meet up with Namine, you can rest for as long as you need," Riku reassured her softly, "and we can help you overcome the painful memories. She'll know what to do about it. That way, you won't have to face them again until you're ready."

Although Donald and Goofy had no idea what was going on between Luna and Riku since they were still wrapping their heads around his behavior near Sora's vicinity, Medea couldn't help sensing something completely out of place with the situation. It isn't because Riku seemed suspiciously aware that something's wrong with Luna, but it's because he mentioned Namine's name a second time and spoke of her as though she's someone who can fix whatever problem is present. But what is the problem, really?

Nero, on the other hand, was getting impatient as he grilled to Sora, "Seriously, are you going to let that so-called friend of yours mess with you like this? He's gotta be up to something if he's insisting Namine doesn't want to see you."

"But…how did I forget them?" Sora questioned to himself. "I thought I still remember them."

Riku seemed to have heard all that as he let out a smug chuckle at Sora's troublesome situation, which didn't sit well with the others. Nero has it a lot worse, as he is almost ready to get his blade out again, but he doesn't attempt to charge in while Luna is nearby him, mostly because Riku is protectively keeping her by his side like a clingy boyfriend.

"Don't feel bad. That's what this castle does to you - after a while," Riku said in mocking reassurance. He stepped away a few spaces from Sora, all the while protectively keeping Luna close to him. "It's good. You forget all the useless stuff and remember for the first time what really matters. I remembered it, Sora. I now know the one thing that is most important to me…" He turned to Sora with hardened eyes. "Protecting Namine and Luna. Nothing else matters – not a thing."

Sora didn't respond at first, contemplating what he should do now that he's witnessed the possibility of Riku not recalling their friendship. As he raised his head to look at his friend directly, he couldn't help thinking back on the times when they were just young boys who would compete, which turned into a dangerous rivalry that almost brought disaster upon them as soon as the Heartless came into play. Perhaps the castle has done something to him that caused him to forget about the horrors that played out, and that's why his friend is being hostile towards him all over again. As much as he wanted to help Luna reunite with their missing friend, he suspected that he had to do something to snap Riku to his senses so that everyone can walk away safely, no matter what Nero has to say about him.

"Hey…Riku…" Sora said, his determination sparking back to life, "I think I'll jog your memory."

Riku scoffed as he got in front of Luna, readying his blade once again. "Go ahead and try."

"Round two, is it? This'll be interesting…" Nero commented, about to step in the fray and settle the score.

"No, Nero. Not this time," Sora stopped him. "I promised Luna that we'd find Riku. I'd rather he be back to normal so we can go home together."

Nero was almost ready to argue with Sora about it, but the hard, determined glare coming from the boy's eyes forced him to reluctantly back down. While this was going on, Medea was able to navigate around the intended battlefield and stealthily get Luna out of the way so that the island boys can duke it out without anybody else interfering. But then again, it's not like anyone would get the chance to stop the fight because the boys immediately went at it as soon as everyone was out of combat range; and it's clear that Riku has gotten a bit more aggressive since Sora is stubbornly refusing to stand down and walk away from him.

As the fight was going on, though, Medea didn't hesitate to pry into Luna's business, mostly because she wanted to know what's been going wrong as of late. Something in the poor girl's recesses of her memory has been slowly surfacing, and whatever they were, they are bothering her to no end. And apparently, Riku appeared to have caught on that something is wrong, or else he wouldn't have been mentioning these bizarre ideas of seeking help from Namine and attempting to persuade her to come along with him.

"What the hell's been going on with you?" Medea asked her master, "You've been acting like you're about to break down again."

Luna shook her head, trying to keep the tears from coming out. "I don't know. They just…they just keep coming out of nowhere. I don't even know why I'm remembering them, and it's scaring me!"

Nero heard this, and asked, "What're you talking about? What keeps coming out of nowhere?"

"Don't press her, dammit! It's not like she can recognize what she's remembering in an instant after it pops up, y'know!" Medea snapped at him. "And don't even ask me about this, because I don't know a damn thing on what happened after the hell we went through ten years ago!"

There was no more room for Nero to make his case on the matter; the only thing he can do at this point is shut his mouth just to stop himself from attempting on interrogating the Guardian over her defensive behavior. There's too much stress emanating out of the situation, and not everyone is in their right mind to investigate what the damage is while certain people are having a few technical difficulties in their domes.

Speaking of technical difficulties, the confrontation between the boys escalated a bit when Riku would occasionally try to get the jump on Sora by pouncing on him from above, subsequently unleashing shockwaves surrounding him every time he landed and then flashing waves of dark energy out in front of him with the final strike. But it's not like Sora wasn't entirely prepared for this sort of thing; his escapes from getting hit were just narrowly successful thanks to being the faster of the two, but keeping away from the energies dispersed towards him wasn't as easy as keeping one's head from being impaled from above. The only thing that prevents Sora from becoming easy picking is that he's fought his friend before, so it's only fair that he'd be able to adapt to the fight just enough to gradually turn the tides in his favor.

And besides, it's not like he's been asking for a fight against his friend to begin with. It's just that the mysterious circumstances leading to these unforeseen feuds just now have made the already confusing situation in the castle a lot more complicated, and it's clear that Riku doesn't want Sora to be trifling in whatever business there is going on between one another that nobody is able to understand – not that everybody else has a fair idea as to what's going on anyway. It doesn't help that Nero hates Riku for no good reason, and even Luna has no idea what's going on either.

But like all rivalries gone wrong, Sora ultimately survived the ordeal and just barely managed to beat Riku down until he was on his knees. Despite this, though, he didn't seem to be entirely down for the count; after he got a moment to recover, he used the blade like a support and hoisted himself back up like nothing serious happened to him. However, there is one thing that appeared to be for naught after all the trouble Sora went through to try and sway him back to their side: he hasn't indicated any signs of coming to his senses, much less have any desire to admit recalling anything familiar to him.

"Too bad, Sora," he taunted, "You can fight me all you want, but I still won't remember a thing."

But Sora doesn't to have any more problems. "C'mon, Riku… Let's quit fighting, for Luna's sake – let's go help Namine."

Riku scoffed coldly. "Together…right. So like you…" He gave a hard, icy glare at him. "Sora - you're always trying to worm your way into my heart, like how Nero's been trying to worm into Luna's!"

That set Nero off. "What did you say?!"

"Hold on! When did I ever do that?" Sora asked, baffled at the harsh words.

"You forgot that, too? You never cared," Riku berated angrily, "It never mattered to you!"

Before Sora could stop him and reason with him, Riku suddenly ran away from them as though he had other places to be, leaving them all alone to deal with the aftermath of their difficult encounter. Where Sora stood, he remembered well what Jiminy had told him earlier: the castle must've done something to mess with his memories, which made him push someone he had called a friend away without even realizing it. This convinced him beyond a shadow of a doubt that there's something strange going on, and it's affected all of them inside the castle; he knows that they just have to find the cause behind it so that they can find Namine and get out of the castle together.

"You won't push me away…" Sora swore, feeling driven to get to the bottom of Riku's change of heart. "Not after what Luna and I have gone through."

Nero clicked his tongue in frustration. "Damn. He ran off again…"

Donald couldn't help fuming about the situation. "Riku's so stubborn! Has he always been like this?"

"He does have his stubborn moments, but not like this," Luna replied, disappointed at all that happened. "He may have been hostile before, but that was because of the bad people he was hanging around. This isn't him. He's much more caring, and he values his friends. He's always been a friend to me and Sora when we were kids."  
Medea groaned irritably. "Well, I guess the damn castle's been screwing with his head, making him act like an ass yet again. If push comes to shove, we could always keep beating him up until he regains his senses – unless someone's pulling the strings with him, too."

"That shouldn't be a problem. Once we help Riku get his memories back, Sora and Luna will be friends again with him in no time," Goofy said optimistically.

"I'm not too sure. He doesn't sound like he wants to remember Sora," Nero commented.

"What the hell would you know? You haven't even tried talking to him," Medea rebuked him.

Where they stood, Medea actually had a point about their new companion: Nero has been very unfriendly with Riku since first meeting him, and he hasn't tried to talk to him without sounding like he wanted to kill him. Perhaps if one of them stepped in and attempted to encourage friendly talk, then Nero can see Riku isn't an enemy as he's making him out to be.

"She's right about it. I mean, if it wasn't for Riku's help as well as mine, Luna wouldn't have been able to recover from her breakdown," Sora agreed wholeheartedly.

"And I'd certainly like to know why Riku wants to bring me to Namine," Luna admitted, "He says that she's someone who can help me, but I don't understand what. I have to know more about her and what part she plays in all this."

"Yeah, this Namine's been raising a lot of red flags for me," Medea agreed with her master, "and it's not just because we haven't seen her…yet. I mean, there's gotta be a reason why she's the talk of this whole damn castle, am I right?"

"My thoughts exactly," Sora seconded in, "That's why we gotta find Namine as soon as possible. We'll find her and Riku, beat up the guys in the black coats, and we'll get outta here!"

Well, it's not exactly what Luna's thinking, but at least there's something that they can use to keep themselves going through the castle, like it or not. Besides, if there's something they can agree on, it's that they want to escape this castle and go home. Though, it would make their mission easier if they could uncover the reason why the people in the black coats have been harassing and taunting them into chasing after Namine since they set foot into Castle Oblivion, and what brought Nero in the castle to begin with, for that matter. After all, no enemy would be messing with them at every turn unless they had a reason to do so…is there?

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere higher in the castle, Namine is seated alone by the corner, lost in thought at the chaos playing out down below. Sora and Luna are still ascending the castle, trying to find her; and now that 'Riku' that claimed to be her friend has gone there to retrieve Luna on her behalf – or so he thinks. Not helping is that the unknown operative is with the two, continually goading them on and raising a fuss in the halls. And here she is, left as a bait to keep reeling them in to a goal that doesn't feel right for her and all because Marluxia has his eyes on the two prizes that he wants to snatch in a single stroke – and she just can't stand feeling so powerless about the situation! It depresses her, and it sickens her that she had to feel so weak and submissive to a group of people that only see her as nothing more than a tool for them to use against unsuspecting victims.

So deep was her thoughts that she didn't pay attention to someone abruptly appearing in the room, who it turned out to be Axel. Just what is he doing here this time, and by himself, no less? He may not be as cold as Marluxia, or harsh and sadistic like Larxene is, but she didn't feel in the mood to speak with him; she just wants to be alone. But he's not going away; he came for a reason, but what?

"Does it hurt, Namine?" he asked her, knowing what's on her mind, "Watching your two childhood friends fight all because of you, while another is helpless to do anything about it because of her own problems lurking in her mind?" He paused, mockingly putting a hand over his chest. "You have my sympathies, from my heart."

The last part that he said pushed a button in her head, jolting Namine into a momentary rush of anger as she frowned at him for saying such things. He had to have said those things on purpose, meaning to get a reaction out of her! Why else would he claim to sympathize with her miserable situation, all the while reminding her on the damage that's working its way through Sora and Luna's hearts and memories by her own doing? Just what is he trying to pull on her to say such things in her face?

"But don't waste your time," Axel continued, almost reading her mind, "We Nobodies cannot hope to be somebodies."

That momentary anger that coursed through her deflated like a balloon as she lowered her head back down, her mood slipping back into depression at Axel's words. It felt like bitter medicine to her, knowing that even she has a harsh reality lingering right in front of her that overrides any little fantasy that has been forced into her head. And here she thought that she had enough torment at the hands of Marluxia and Larxene, who continually harass her with empty promises and threats against her and the newcomers. Did she really need to hear anything coming out of Axel's mouth right now? He might as well be no better than them, wasting his time mocking her unfortunate situation as a prisoner – and not just because of the fact that she's being used and abused for unverified reasons, reasons that have been kept from her for quite a while. She feels trapped in a problem that she doesn't know what to do about without affecting either her wardens' intentions or their targets' actions…

* * *

Despite the knowledge that Riku had fled up the stairs, it's clear to them that he's disappeared to parts unknown – and for once, that's thought to be a good thing, considering how Nero would've tried to charge at him and fight him. But the lack of opposition for the time being certainly gave them enough breathing space to think over everything that happened, mostly concerning Riku since they had encountered him – with mixed results depending on who he was talking to when they met him. He's not at all friendly towards Sora, and has believed him to be a problem for Namine; he's suspicious of Nero and has made an attempt to tear apart his claims of any family connections he insists on possessing. On the other hand, he's more approachable to Luna, and has more than once tried to convince her to come along with him to see Namine, claiming that she's expecting her and might be able to her with her issues – whatever they were.

Sora couldn't help sighing at the puzzle he can't solve on his own, arousing the concern of Luna as well as Donald and Goofy. He had a lot on his mind, it seems, and now he's wondering what to do about the situation. To be fair, he has tried to reason with Riku, even trying to remind him of the people who are waiting back home (though the last part he tried to bring up backfired on him due to the memory loss that has continued progressing through their hike up the castle. So, now what do they do about their dealings with him?

"I don't get it. Riku and I – we both want the same thing," Sora wondered, baffled at the persistent hostility. "Both of us want to help Namine out. How come we're fighting each other? I mean, Riku and I have argued about stuff in the past, but…"

"Could be 'cause ya care what happens to each other," Goofy guessed.

"If that's the case, then why the hell has he been a sourpuss at mainly those two boys?" Medea asked, hinting at Sora and Nero's position.

Sora thought about it a moment. "I thought so, too, but…maybe Riku doesn't…"

"He may not be thinking the same with you, but…he certainly behaved otherwise when he spoke to me," Luna admitted.

"You can't give up, either of you. You're friends – tied together," Donald tried his best to encourage them, "Sora, Riku, Luna, and…and…" His voice trailed off when struggled to remember the other friend that is part of the island group, but couldn't put a finger as to who it was. "What was her name?"

Goofy thought about it quietly, but even he seemed to be having some struggles coming up with a name for the friend the duck meant to talk about. Noticing this, and having more reason to be worried about the situation, Medea turned to her master with cautious hope that she'd be able to remember something about who Donald was attempting to talk about.

"Hey, Luna, you still remember anything about your friends besides Sora and Riku?" she asked.

Luna thought it about it a moment. "Hmm… Well, I still remember what she looks like. She had red hair, and violet eyes. The way she laughs was always nice, even if it's a little bit teasing sometimes." She paused, frowning as she tried to place a name for the face of the girl, but she could hardly think of what it is. "But…I can't clearly think of what her name is. I know that it starts with the letter 'K', but…I can't think of anything beyond that."

That raised a lot of red flags in Medea's head. Is the memory loss in the castle getting worse than they thought, especially after Sora had been remembering things about Namine? It seemed to be attracting Jiminy's suspicions, too, as he quickly recognized from the conversation that a lot more is going wrong than they could ever imagine since they entered this castle.

"It seems our memories are fading mighty fast," the cricket suspected. "Sora, Luna, we gotta hurry. I bet Riku will come around if you both just talk to him."

"It might not be easy, but it would be worth a try," Luna agreed hopefully, "Besides, I'd like to know what he's been going through since he got here. Maybe I could ask him if he knows anything about Nero."

Sora nodded in agreement. "You're right. The four of us were never apart. Me n' Riku, and Luna and Namine."

The instant Luna and Medea heard him speak of Namine without thinking about that other girl; something about this didn't sit right with either of them. Did he seriously already forget about the other girl that Donald was trying to mention? Luna could partly remember something about her, except for her name, but how could Sora forget about her just like that? It's like he completely forgot that he already had someone special on his mind, and now has his thoughts fixed on someone else. Earlier, even Riku had actually brought up the red-haired girl's name before, and it sounded familiar to him at the very least despite how obsessively he speaks about Namine in their encounters with him! What's the deal?

Unknown to them, Nero seemed to be attentive to their shared shock about the situation, and has shifted his thoughts elsewhere, not speaking to anyone for a while even after it's brought up that they still have more floors to go and have a few more worlds to traverse through until they can find where Namine is.


	21. Chapter 20: Hollow Bastion - Sora

**Hello there! Lilith here.**

 **So, for those of you who had Easter on your calendars, did you have a good Easter? No need to give details (I'm not interested in prying into personal affairs).**

 **Anyways, after several weeks of lacking communication, I've finally brought another chapter up - and this is surprisingly longer than my last one.**

 **Oh, and by the way, two more personal Final Fantasy inserts of my picking are in this chapter. Think you can find them as you read? :p**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **To The Ever-Dreaming Kitten: Since you're here giving me reviews, might I ask if you have any suggestions for Disney worlds to put into my next Kingdom Hearts fanfic or Final Fantasy you want making guest appearances? I'm all ears about it. :) I could use extra opinions.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 20: Hollow Bastion – Sora

The next card used took Sora, Luna and their companions to Neverland, or more specifically, on board the pirate ship originating from Neverland. From there, they met up with Tinkerbell and later her partner, Peter Pan; apparently, Wendy, a London girl he had invited over to Neverland, was abducted by Captain Hook in an attempt to get his revenge on the eternally young child that had taken his hand and fed it to the crocodile some time ago, and he came aboard the ship with the intent on saving her. Sora and Luna didn't hesitate to agree to help him find Wendy, since she sounded like someone important to Peter. When they did find her, however, she had said that as much as she enjoyed her time in Neverland with him, but she sorely missed being back in London where she's lived since birth. This didn't sit well with Peter at first, having a fit about it as he warned bitterly that once she returns home, she'll grow old and she'll forget about Neverland altogether, resulting in him leaving in a huff. So, when they decided to deal with the captain personally, he threatened to have Wendy go off the plank – but Peter thankfully intervened and helped them deal with the pirate directly. After that mess was cleaned up, Peter and Wendy reconciled and Peter agreed to bring her back to London; helping the matter is when Sora and Luna assured that the memories of Neverland aren't going to completely disappear even as they grow up, giving Peter some comfort that the memories will just be sleeping, waiting for the right opportunity to reemerge little by little.

Once they've left Neverland, they returned to Castle Oblivion's hallways, reaching the next waiting floor. After the first couple of times they've encountered Riku, everyone expected him to be waiting for them, to oppose at any moment. However, when Donald and Goofy scoped out the place, they found that he's nowhere to be found. It's almost like he's disappeared without a trace – for the time being.

"Where'd Riku go?" Donald asked.

Goofy shrugged. "Guess he must've finally gotten tired of fightin' with ya."

"I sure hope so," Sora agreed with some hope in him.

"If he was, he would've at least gotten his head screwed back on right," Medea commented.

"I just hope that when we do find him, he doesn't do anything rash," Luna said, a little worry evident in her tone of voice. "I don't like how you boys have been having a feud with each other like that."

Nero didn't say anything outward, but in his mind, a lot of thoughts are clashing against each other over the situation. On one hand, he still has anger over Riku that he can't let go of, and he wants to have another round against him; but on the other hand, he felt confused as to how Luna would maintain such strong faith in Riku despite the knowledge that he had been a troublemaker before, or why Sora insisted in saving his friend regardless of the opposition he's dealing with right now. He just doesn't know what to do about it…

"Well, anyway, we'd better keep going," Sora suddenly spoke, getting everyone's attention, "We still got a little ways to go."

"Oh, that's right. We've yet to find out more on what those people we've met are doing," Luna remembered.

"Yeah, well, I'm ready to dole out a little payback if someone tries to screw us over," Medea said as she curled her hands into hard fists.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere else inside the castle, Vexen has met back up with Axel and Larxene to assess the situation, but there's an atmosphere of displeasure at the events that transpired ever since letting loose that replica they've adjusted to their liking on Sora and Luna. Apparently, the redhead and the blonde have been watching everything unfold, what with the fighting that occurred between Sora and the copycat as well as the meddling of the other person that has been sticking with the Keyblade wielder's party, and that's not even mentioning the different outcome whenever Luna was nearby. It gives reason to believe that the experiment didn't go entirely as planned, and now the replica is missing in action.

"What's going on, Vexen?" Larxene asked mockingly, "Your Riku was supposed to counter Sora and bring Luna to us. What's he waiting for? Where is he now?"

"He's hiding somewhere to lure Sora and Luna deep inside the castle, right?" Axel suggested sarcastically, "I suppose we should just leave it at that, you know."

From there, she gave a dramatic gasp of surprise. "A-ha! Oh, I see now! I would never have guessed that. So sorry, Vexen."

At that point, the elder member has had enough. "Silence!"

But Larxene wouldn't let up. "Predictable response. Forget it. Men without hearts are so boring."

"You're one to talk," Vexen rebuked. "As if you have such a heart to speak for yourself."

"That's enough."

The soft, devious voice that abruptly filled the room stopped the arguments in their tracks as all three turned to witness another black-coated figure appear from the darkness. However, upon lifting the hood back, the person revealed an effeminate young man with flowing pink hair that nearly reached his shoulders and dark blue eyes that hide something dangerous beneath the deceptive serenity. What Sora and Luna haven't known thus far is that this man is the enigma that swayed and subsequently trapped them inside Castle Oblivion, but they wouldn't have known since he never showed his face to them…yet.

Vexen quickly knew who it is. "Marluxia!"

"Vexen, the simple fact is that your project was a failure," Marluxia said callously, "You'd best not disappoint us again."

That got Vexen riled up. "Disappoint YOU? You go too far! In this Organization, you're only number 11! I'm number 4, and I'll not have you –"

His argument was suddenly halted when he was faced with the bladed tip atop of a scythe right in front of him, manifested in the hands of the man who showed his true colors – as far as the possibility of threat level is concerned. Obviously, he's not remotely concerned with rank or number; but he certainly knew how to shut someone's mouth when opposed.

"I've been entrusted with this castle, the look-alike, and Namine by our leader," Marluxia interrupted with a calm but threatening voice. "Defying me will be seen as treason against the Organization."

"'Traitors are eliminated.'" Axel added, "I believe that's what the rules say."

"Who needs a half-baked, good-for-nothing, anyway?" Larxene added insultingly.

Vexen felt like he's stuck in a lose-lose situation against his younger peers, but he didn't want their disrespect to weigh him down just yet. Of all the members, he's done a lot more work for the Organization then they think he does; he's a scientist, after all!

Marluxia shook his head. "Vexen, you cannot against Sora, or detain Luna for that matter."

Swallowing his fears, the scientist let out a retort. "Pity to be so ignorant. As you're only able to see the surface of things, I should not expect you to appreciate my true might."

This got his nemesis intrigued as he dismissed his scythe. "Oh? Then let us watch as you prove it."

Vexen grew nervous. "What?"

"None of us wish to be suspicious of a comrade," Marluxia replied.

"Your insincerity is comforting," Vexen deadpanned as he departed from the room in a shroud of darkness.

With the troublesome Vexen now out of the room, this left the remaining members some breathing space to assess the matter. However, out of them, Axel had reasons to be a bit doubtful of Vexen's position since he knows the old man is very likely wanting to get an advantage in their mission, eager to look for another avenue to make his experiments go his way. Who knows what that elder is hiding up his sleeves?

"You give a challenge like that to Vexen and he'll seriously want to eliminate Sora," Axel commented, "and then seize Luna for himself as soon as he's down."

"That would be an unfortunate denouement," Marluxia replied knowingly.

He walked away from the rest of the members towards Namine, who had been seated quietly by the corner listening to all that had been conversed about. But the moment he placed his hand on her shoulder, there was an immediate discomfort that jolted through her skin, but that didn't faze him in the slightest as he spoke to her of the dilemma that has crept up. He knew as well as she did that there's nothing she can do while he is there, monitoring her movements and of the actions of everyone in the castle.

"What to do? Your hero is soon to be wiped from existence," Marluxia said to her, "But I believe there is a certain promise he made you. And your friend – my, my – she still has not recovered her memories as she was supposed to. If she's not careful, someone else might take her away – by any means necessary. Isn't that right, Namine?"

Namine cringed at the mere mentioning of Sora and Luna, knowing that he means to indicate that they're about to face even more dangers just to chase after her; and that operative is there to continue goading them along, all the while trying to establish that he is related to one of them despite possible reservations that might've come up. She really wanted to say something contrary, something that would oppose him. But how could she? He would hurt her.

Not wanting trouble, she let out a forced, "…Yes."

Satisfied with her answer, however forced it may have sounded, Marluxia walked away from her to deal with other matters. The most Namine could do at this point is feel shame well up inside her as she regretted having to keep that monster appeased just so nothing serious happens to her, or to anyone that she's trifled with; her head lowered as her guilt spilled over, not knowing how much more torment she would have to endure until they got what they wanted.

* * *

"WOW! The tenth floor…" Donald exclaimed aloud in surprise, "We've gotten up pretty high."

"And that must mean we've lost ten whole floors' worth of our memories," Jiminy added in worry over what's happened so far. "Sora, Luna, it's still not too late. Don't you think we should turn back?"

On the one hand, the cricket had every good reason to be worried about everything that has happened involving their memories; they've lost a number of memories that they've treasured dearly, and all because of traversing throughout the floors of Castle Oblivion. On the other hand, they've come too far along to be able to think about turning away from the place since the main door is a long ways down, and there's no clear knowing what will happen if they do decide to reverse their course and attempt to leave the place. Not to mention, there is still the matter of those people in the black coats, who have been monitoring and dogging them ever since they first set foot inside the castle; they've gone through all ten floors, and they still have no knowledge as to what their goal is and why they want the intrepid heroes to make their way through the castle exactly. Should they attempt to escape, what are the chances that one of those guys will suspect, and then give chase after them just to ensure that they don't make it to the exit before they get there?

Sora gave his answer to the conundrum. "I can't do it…because…that would break an old promise that I made."

That made Jiminy curious. "An old promise? What would that be?"

"On the islands, I promised Namine – that I'd keep her safe, no matter what," Sora replied, "But, I forgot it… I didn't remember until I started forgetting everything else! A promise between the two of us… That's why…I can't leave. Now that I remember the promise, I have to keep it."

It took a moment, but Jiminy relented. "Of course. We understand, Sora."

While everyone else diverted for a moment to survey the floor they're currently on, Luna took this opportunity to speak with Sora personally.

"Sora, that promise you spoke about… Was this promise made during the time I was ill?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, it was. You couldn't make it to the islands because you had to be monitored for health reasons," Sora explained to her. "Believe me; I still remember that it took years for you to recover from whatever damage you had. And besides, I'm pretty sure you haven't been able to recall anything about Namine clearly because of how sick you were at the time."

"Then…how does Nero fit in all this?" Luna asked him, "Did you ever meet him personally?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. If I did, then I don't remember it."

Sora's answer gave Luna reason to believe that he's never met Nero at all, let alone ever saw him at all. But then again, she still recalled how Riku mentioned to her as a boy how he had met her brother, Terra, and how he had spoken of her quite highly. So, where was Nero during her childhood? Or for that matter, what was he doing during her childhood? Sadly, the experience of losing her memories in this castle as well as the emergence of the painful memories don't give the most reliable clues to what she wanted to know. She would probably have to ask Nero about what he remembered when she gets the chance; though, there's no guarantee that whatever she can remember will match up with his memories, whatever they consist of.

"There's still one more world we have to go through," Nero spoke up, bringing everyone back to reality. "What's the last one?"

Sora looked at the card. "It looks like a castle. We'll have to see what the deal is when we go in."

"I still stand by that Luna and I have more memory of that damn place than you boys ever did earlier," Medea commented.

Donald gave an annoyed glare. "Are you still hung up over that, Medea?"

"I wonder what we'll find in the next world," Goofy wondered aloud. "We've been in a lot of different situations before, and most had some kind of problem involved."

* * *

In the world they next entered, they found it to be an enormous, badly dilapidated castle that must've suffered from extensive damage and faulty modifications forcibly inserted through rough patches of stone and metal made throughout every aspect of the building. Steam regularly poured out from some places where pipes would unnecessarily stick out, and small platforms are strung along what looked to be magical railway systems holding the transportation route together; gigantic, pristine stained glass windows provided small traces of what could've been grand majesty in this otherwise lonely and dismal location surrounded by the limbo of day and evening and the uncanny environment that stretched for miles around. Who would want to live in such an isolated place is beyond their knowledge, but if it were to take part for a dark fairy tale, that wouldn't have been too farfetched a thought, to say the least.

However, not long after arriving at the castle, Goofy suddenly stopped in his tracks and started to hear something that the others haven't caught on to – at least, not just yet. It sounded faintly as though there is some kind of conversation going on between certain people, but he couldn't clearly make out what it is exactly.

"I'm hearin' voices! I wonder who it is," he said, getting their attention.

"Who could it be?" Luna asked out of curiosity.

Right on cue, Jiminy jumped out from Sora's hood to find out what the matter is, and carefully listened in just enough to detect that there's something going on.

"Shhh! I think something's wrong," the cricket warned quietly.

"Whatever the hell is wrong, it doesn't sound right if the cricket's worried about it," Medea suspected.

Cautiously peeking from the corner to see what the matter is, the party found four people having a bit of a problem going on. One is a young woman with brown hair and eyes, wearing a lovely yellow ensemble; but something about her posture didn't seem to sit right. The second is a large humanoid beast with nothing but worn-out moss-green pants and a purple cloak held by a gold brooch. Over to their side, two childlike dolls glanced between the two people they were close by as they seemed to fret ceaselessly; the boy doll – with thick blond hair, and wearing a frilled long-sleeved shirt with a red vest, blue pants, white breeches and brown shoes – fidgeted nervously about the beast, while the girl doll – with curled blond hair, wearing a bright red flounced dress and brown shoes with the hair holding a red ribbon – hovered around the woman in a distressing manner.

It sounded like the woman and the beast in particular were having a troubling argument, and the two dolls close to them are worrying over what's going on near them, not knowing what to do to stop it.

"But Belle, I don't understand!" the Beast exclaimed. "I came here to rescue you!"

"Beast…" Belle replied coldly. "I did not ask you to come. And it doesn't matter anyway. I'm not going back with you anyway, so you're wasting your time."

Beast didn't like what he was hearing. "Belle? Do you know what you're saying? How can you stay here with that witch?"

"I've nothing more to say," she replied, "Now leave, before she finds you and the dolls."

As she proceeded to leave them without another word, the two dolls looked into each other's eyes in worry. The girl doll shook her head in fear and gestured a 'what are we going to do' to her partner; the boy doll, in response, gave an uncertain shrug as he shook his head sadly, unsure of what they should do at this point.

Beast was in dismay over this. "Belle…why?"

Thinking that the coast is clear, Sora, Luna and the others stepped out of hiding to assess the situation and see if there's anything wrong that that they need to know about. Whatever it is that's making Belle unwilling to explain herself now must have some kind of connection to the mystery at hand.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but…is everything okay?" Sora asked, a little concerned about what happened.

"Don't feel bad," Donald tried to offer consolation. "There must be a reason she said those things."

"Keep your sympathy. No one could ever care for a beast like me," the Beast refused the pity.

Medea rolled her eyes irritably. "Spare us of your whining. Something screwy's going on here, and I wanna know what."

He didn't appear to have heard her comments as he walked away; however, the dolls remained behind, downhearted and uncertain about what to do.

"Poor guy," Goofy said sadly. "Sure wish there was somethin' we could do for him."

"Doesn't seem like we can do much for him," Nero said.

That was when Jiminy looked to the dolls. "But we could do something for them."

"You're right, Jiminy. Maybe the dolls know something," Luna agreed, taking the initiative to speak with the other visitors. She approached the dolls as their attention shifted desperately to the party. "Could you two tell us why you and the Beast were here to begin with?"

The two dolls, realizing that someone is willing to hear their side of the story, immediately waltzed their tragic tale together to explain everything that went down. The girl doll danced to the impression of being abducted from a location none of the party knew of, and the boy doll gave the implication that the leader (that being the Beast) had been on the trail of the lady they just saw. Then, the both of them gesture how they followed their master to rescue the lady – but then their postures quickly became saddened when they depicted what had happened when they had finally found the lady they had been looking for.

"Oh…so your princess was kidnapped by a witch, and the three of you went to save her," Luna interpreted, "But when you found her, she wouldn't come along with your owner." She paused a moment. "Did you both try to reason with her?"

Both dolls nodded their heads sadly, their bodies slumping in disappointment.

"I see…she wouldn't come even when you both tried to explain," Luna understood.

Nero was a bit baffled at this. "Wait…so these two walking dolls are actually familiar with that creature and the woman? Is that why they're here?"

"Well, obviously, they know both of them quite well and imply deep fondness for them," Sora replied like it's already clear to him. "Why else would they be upset when one of their owners isn't with them?"

That's when Donald got an idea. "Hey, I got it! Why don't we go find Belle and try to find out why she wouldn't let Beast or the dolls rescue her? Like we thought, she must have a reason to refuse so rudely, right…uh…what were you two called?"

The dolls gestured in an introductory manner, which Luna is able to understand clearer than the others.

"Calca and Brina," Luna translated on their behalf, "That's their names."

"Alright – Calca, Brina – let's go find Belle and set the record straight," Sora announced boldly.

Calca and Brina, excited for the help they sorely needed, broke into a joyous dance together at the help offered to them – much to the confusion of some of the party. Once they've calmed down, though, Sora led the way through the castle as they went on a search for the one person who can give the answers to the troubling puzzle that needs a good solving and resolution for the problem at hand.

* * *

Of course, given the size of the castle, it didn't come as a surprise to them that the halls would be filled with Heartless patrolling the grounds, trying to make a nuisance of themselves for whoever is using them within these hollow halls. Perhaps someone doesn't want the intruders to find Belle to begin with? Regardless, Calca and Brina were very valuable members of the team thanks to their healing and offensive magic at their disposal, keeping the party at peak strength and blasting away any Heartless that tried to give them problems.

"You never said anything about the dolls being the fighting types," Nero commented later on.

"Far as I'm concerned, I'm sure they're willing to do whatever it takes to protects their rightful owners," Medea answered knowingly, mostly from past experience.

"I think Nero thought they'd be fragile or something," Sora suspected.

"I don't think Calca and Brina are the types of dolls Nero is thinking," Luna admitted, "If anything, they must be magic, too, especially to have minds of their own as they do."

After searching the grounds, they eventually found Belle in the library of the castle. She didn't seem to be in that suspiciously icy mood that they saw earlier, so Sora and Luna thought it to be the opportune chance to confront her personally about what went down when they first stumbled upon the rather tense conversation that played out. Though, as soon as they entered, she certainly seemed surprised to find that there are more people inside the castle without her knowing it early on.

"Who are you? Were you kidnapped, too?" she asked.

"Uh…not exactly. It's a long story…" Sora replied, but then what she said hit him like a brick. "Wait! So you WERE kidnapped, like the dolls said? You don't want to be here?"

Medea rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening to anything Luna translated for us?"

"The dolls?" Belle asked, confused. But then, she spotted Calca and Brina with them, looking at her with sad eyes. "Yes…" She shook her head sadly. "…No, I don't want to be here. That witch forced me to come here. I have no one to talk to. Books are all I have to ease my loneliness. And then there's him…" Something inside her ached sorely. "Oh, I've missed him so much."

"You mean the Beast?" Goofy asked, "Then why were you so mean to him before?"

"Yeah. You really hurt his feelings," Sora agreed.

"And you made Calca and Brina very sad," Luna added.

Belle had this to say in her defense. "You don't understand. I can't let him see how I really feel. Calca and Brina weren't supposed to know, either."

That baffled Sora. "Why not?"

"The witch you're mentioning has something to do with it, isn't it?" Nero speculated.

"It's just that –" Belle was about to explain herself, but then she abruptly stopped as she heard a noise somewhere in the room, sending a jolt of dread through her body. "Oh, no, she's coming! Hide, quickly!"

"Is it the witch?" Medea guessed, gritting her teeth.

"There's no time to explain," Belle replied hurriedly, "Quick. Hide!"

Left with no other choice but to comply, the party immediately hurried away from Belle's vicinity and hastily concealed themselves throughout the library, giving themselves just enough hiding space to scope out who's coming here and find out who the mastermind behind the kidnapping is. Sure enough, from behind a hidden passageway cleverly concealed behind a false bookcase, a tall, green-faced woman covered in black flaring robes with devilish horns on her emerged from the secret passage where Belle stood. Although she seemed to be as composed as she could when greeted with this unwanted visitor, nobody could be sure what she might really be thinking under the surface.

"Oh…Hello. To what do I owe this visit?" Belle greeted as politely as she could.

"He was here – yes?" the witch asked, getting straight to the point. "He risked his life to come and save you, even taking his little puppets with him. Why do you reject him?"

Belle, knowing what she suspects, quickly replied, "I won't ask for his help."

The witch raised her brow. "Oh, and why is that?"

"You know very well why," Belle rebuked. "I'm not going to fall into your trap!"

"Then I have no choice but to make you BEG for his help!" the witch retorted back.

Before anyone could attempt interference, the malicious witch used her dark magic to teleport her and Belle out of the library, both of them disappearing without a trace. This left Sora and Luna with more problems on their hands, since they didn't get the chance to get the answers they really needed out of Belle before that horrible woman took her away.

"No! She got away!" Sora cursed in frustration.

"That woman was up to something," Nero had no doubts on the matter, "Problem is: what does she want with Belle?"

"What should we do?" Goofy asked worriedly.

"Help her, of course! What else?" Sora replied like it's already obvious.

Calca and Brina nodded anxiously, agreeing to Sora's answer regarding the safety of the princess.

"Then we have to hurry, before anything worse happens!" Luna agreed hurriedly.

* * *

Their hot pursuit of the abducted Belle and her kidnapper led them through more halls of Heartless, but these ones were pettier fodder than the last, since it seemed like the attention is completely focused elsewhere. However, this gave the party an easier time tracking down where the evil sorceress might've taken her to threaten the princess who the Beast had wanted to rescue. Their chase led them to the main entrance hall of the castle, where Belle found herself to be cornered to a fountain and the witch in front of her, threatening her with bullying words to crack her defenses open, meaning to make her vulnerable.

"What are you waiting for? Call for him!" the witch ordered her.

"No! I won't let you hurt him!" Belle refused adamantly.

"Then I shall make you scream!" the witch's patience grew dangerously thin, "The fool will come running the moment he hears your cries."

But before she could do any harm, Sora immediately interrupted her. "Enough! The Beast isn't the only one you have to deal with."

"If you so much as take a hair from her, you'll get no mercy from me or Medea," Luna warned with a threat.

"Damn straight," her Guardian agreed.

Calca and Brina joined in, threateningly letting their auras of magic flicker in their hands for their enemy to see. In time, everyone else readied their weapons, preparing for a confrontation against this wicked caster who had stolen the maiden in the first place.

The witch grew annoyed. "Begone, children. You have no business here. Unless, of course, you wish to join in the screaming! This is perfect. When that brute hears your shrieks of terror, he'll come straight to me!"

"Don't trouble yourself."

Alongside the low tonal voice, the Beast made his arrival onto the scene, much to the surprise of everyone who didn't expect him to actually come after what he had been through before. Perhaps he needed time to sort himself out before he came back to try again at talking with Belle? Nobody knows at this point. What is certain, however, is that when he returned at last, Calca and Brina jumped for joy at their other master's return; and even Belle, despite the dire circumstances, was actually surprised to see him.

"You're here!" she exclaimed. But then she caught herself at her joy, and tried to use her false chill to warn him away from the place. "No! You mustn't! I told you leave this place along with the dolls! Leave me alone! I never want to see your face again!"

Medea grew irritated at this nonsense. "Are you really pulling this again? I don't even feel convinced you're having a hissy fit about him."

Beast didn't take it well, either. "Belle…"

Jiminy, hearing this, commented on Belle's words. "What an awful thing to say!"

But then, the Beast said solemnly, "All right. If that's how you feel, I understand. My hideousness is my punishment for being selfish and unable to love. I was made into a monster, loved by no one…and I only became more selfish. That is…" He looked up, determined this time. "Until I met you, Belle. You were the only person who accepted me. Little by little, you warmed my cold, selfish heart. The memories of our days together are my most precious. I won't cast aside. So I'm sorry. But I can't leave you here…even if you hate me for it. Consider it my final selfish act."

Luna watched as Calca and Brina eagerly joined their owner as they gestured over towards Belle their adamant refusal to leave as well. It is actually an admirable thing to see, the Beast refusing to abandon Belle out of the love he came to develop for her and the dolls showing unyielding loyalty to both their beautiful and beastly owners, who they have treasured deeply. It certainly reminded her of Riku's promise to her when he was freed from Ansem's hold…

Apparently, these thoughtful words successfully moved Belle, too, as she came to regret her previous behavior and all the harm she had done after all the trouble her beloved and her friends have done just to save her from someone she truly hates.

"Oh, Beast…" she felt lost at words.

Unfortunately, the witch had other thoughts running in her mind. "Well, well. I never dreamed such ugliness could hide so beautiful a heart. This calls for a change of plans. Beast, I shall claim your heart instead of Belle's!"

From there, she began to use her magic, summoning forth as much energy as she could to perform what she must to acquire what she wanted. But Belle, fearing the worst, grew terrified at what she was implying to do.

"No! Please!" she tried to implore.

But there was no convincing the sorceress to stop; she continued her work and launched a spell at the Beast, intent on taking away his heart. But Belle would not have any of that; so, without a shred of hesitation, she bolted ahead of the magic ball sent out by Maleficent and instinctively put herself in front of the Beast – only to get hit by the blast of magic in the process. In the brief flash of light, Belle disappeared without a trace and an ethereal heart remained where she had once stood! When they saw this, Sora and Luna were horrified at the damage that had been done by one cruel, heartless woman.

"Well, so much for the change of plan," the witch sneered, "Belle's heart, it is, then. It seems her cold words spoke little of her true feelings." She laughed at this. "She loves you, Beast! I can feel it shining in her heart!"

Enraged at the mockery of his love, Beast roared, "You fiend! Release Belle's heart at once!"

Like an animal provoked by a threatening adversary, he charged at the witch, meaning to tear her apart with his bare hands if she wouldn't give back Belle quietly. But before he could get the chance to pounce on her, the fiendish witch vanished in a flash of flames, serving to further arouse the Beast's anger.

"Where is she?!" he bellowed angrily.

"She went that way! That's the way the shadows fled," Sora exclaimed, pointing up the stairs.

Apparently not knowing that they've been here the whole time, Beast asked them, "What are you doing here?"

"No time to talk! We gotta go after them!" Donald replied hastily.

"We can have a little chitchat once we've ripped that hag a new one!" Medea agreed, eager to kill someone.

"Right. We have to get the princess back, for Calca and Brina's sake!" Luna seconded that.

The dolls nodded in united agreement, gesturing everyone to hurry and chase after the witch's trail while it's hot. Every second counted at this point, because whatever that witch was planning to do with Belle's heart, it doesn't sound good for this place in the slightest.

"You'd help us?" Beast asked, speaking for both himself and the dolls.

"You bet! After what you just said, we GOTTA help you!" Goofy replied.

"Let's go get Belle's heart back!" Sora declared.

"The sooner we do that job, the sooner we can leave," Nero insisted, impatient to finish the job.

* * *

Their chase led them to a chamber where there is darkness in almost every corner, the only lights ever present being the torches lit by a sickly green fire that emanated a malicious, uninviting light that only served to make the room oppressive in its insufferable gloom that had pervaded the rest of the castle halls. In the middle of the room is the prideful witch gloating in her venomous triumph over the objective she fulfilled; but that's not all that is on her mind, what with the interlopers arriving to confront her personally, though her focus is more on the creature that her victim had treasured so dear before the event of her capture and imprisonment inside the crumbling halls of the castle.

"You've done well to make it this far, Beast. As your reward, I'll tell you why Belle rejected you," the witch taunted mercilessly, "My dark magic requires hearts of utmost beauty. Belle was perfect. Deep in her heart, her love for you shone with uncommon radiance. But she guessed my plans. By denying her love, she put her heart beyond my reach."

Hearing this revelation helped Sora and Luna put two and two together as to what was really going on between Belle and Beast when they first arrived. The reason she acted so coldly and harshly in the open was because she was trying to protect the Beast, who she loved so dearly for as long as she has, and to keep Calca and Brina, who are among her beloved friends, from being endangered by the witch. But obviously, she couldn't hide how much she truly cared about them, let alone the Beast himself considering how he had reminded her that she thawed his heart after suffering in his selfish and icy misery from his troubling past – whatever it was. However, try as she did, it must've felt more hurtful to Belle herself to try and push her loved ones away than anything the Beast has gone through before she came into the picture.

Beast confirmed it when he growled, "But she saved me! She protected me!"

"She couldn't hide how she really felt…" Sora said with remorse.

"I've heard enough!" the Beast snapped towards the witch, "Release her heart! NOW! If you don't…"

"Hm, hm, hm," the witch chuckled, amused.

"Do not try my patience!" Beast growled angrily.

"Worst case scenario, I could do the tearing apart for ya," Medea offered murderously.

The witch wouldn't budge, though. "Don't you realize why I'm telling you this? Did you think it was out of kindness? I did it to erase your doubts. Now your heart is beginning to shine in your love for Belle. I shall have your heart, too, monster!"

"Not if we stop you!" Sora protested.

"In the meantime, we'll show you who the real monster is!" Luna added.

"Yeah, yeah, now let's skip to the part where we cut this old hag down to ribbons!" Medea demanded impatiently.

Apparently, her words irked the witch a bit. "You dare to challenge me? Pitiful fools!"

Furious that the opposition won't back down on ending her schemes, the witch used her dark magic and – with a powerful burst of green fire and purple smoke exploding through the entire vicinity – a giant, black winged dragon with eerie blank eyes stood in place of the malevolent sorceress, and the dark chamber had changed into a crumbled tower somewhere in the castle, isolated from the rest of the domain.

However, within the dismal arena, the intimidation of the dragon's sheer size was nothing compared to the primal ferocity and intensely overwhelming power that presented itself in the confrontation against it. The flames, despite the oddity of the color matching the burning eyes of the reptilian beast, scorched the stone ground with an infernal intensity that rivals forest wildfires, leaving little room for escape from the terribly incredible range; its jaws, in conjunction with its elongated neck made avoiding getting bitten a bit of a challenge, and the might of its great clawed feet as it pounded the ground shook the foundations of the tower.

Truthfully, the only reason everyone is able to even remotely get a small window of opportunity to turn the tides is because of the strength of the Beast fending off the jaws with his ferocious claws forcing its mouth back, and Calca and Brina have been essential in keeping everyone at full strength as well as keeping the flames from causing too much harm to everyone. Sora, Medea and Nero had to stay close to Goofy at all times just to prepare for another blast of fire, and Luna and Donald had to keep constant vigil over what the dragon will do next because either its flames will attempt to roast someone alive or the resulting shockwave formed from the thunderous pounding of its mighty hands would trip everyone up.

In fact, the fact became so irritating that Nero decided enough is enough, and decided that he had to take drastic measures to shift the tides to their favor.

"Why can't things ever be any easier?" he grumbled as he pulled out a card.

At that moment, the card he pulled out from his satchel flashed quickly as, right before each of the party members' eyes, platforms mystically formed out of thin air with just enough of a height advantage to keep them out of most of harm's way.

Sora, seeing an opportune advantage, jokingly remarked about Nero indirectly, "I tell you, someone's making things way too convenient for us since he joined us."

But considering how the monstrous dragon has lost its advantage in sheer power and environmental control, Sora and Luna certainly didn't waste any time to put the creature down once and for all with Keyblade and Shadow Hands in tandem. And with its demise, that meant there is an opportunity to escape the dilapidated tower and return to familiar ground level.

* * *

When they returned to the spooky chamber where they made their final encounter with the witch, they watched with wide eyes as the heart that was Belle's returned to the castle. As it reached ground level, a beautiful, brilliant flash of light flooded the dim chamber until – as its illuminating radiance subsided as quickly as it came – Belle returned to her physical form, completely intact and whole again like nothing dreadful happened to her at all. Seeing her there alive and well brought great relief to the Beast as he stepped near to embrace her in welcome for her return to him, all the while Calca and Brina jumped in delightful ecstasy at seeing their beloved princess come back to them. The welcoming relief was unquestionably reciprocated by the lady herself as she felt better than ever after the horrors that were experienced.

"Belle! Thank goodness…" a breath of relief came from the Beast.

"Please forgive me. I had to be cruel to you," Belle said remorsefully, "But no matter how I tried, I couldn't hide my true feelings…"

But the Beast shook his head. "I'm the one who should apologize…for doubting you. I never want to remember feeling this way…so angry, so alone."

She smiled. "Then don't. Let's replace the sad memories with happier ones – starting now."

"Belle…" the happiness from Beast flowed steadily through him.

As things got a lot more loving for the two, Calca and Brina hurried over to their side jovially, with Calca clapping excitedly for them and Brina silently swooning over the rekindling love.

Goofy chuckled at the sight. "There they go with the mushy stuff, a-hyuck!"

"Yeah, I think it's time we got on our way," Sora agreed, his face turning a bit pink from embarrassment.

"Good idea! Let's keep moving," Donald seconded that.

While the boys felt eager to get away as fast as they could, Luna couldn't help lingering on the couple a little longer. Something about two people getting together always gave her some fuzzy feelings that tickle her romantic bone.

"I'm glad that they've been united, after all the horrible things that had to occur," Luna said with a loving sigh.

"I'm no pro in that stuff, but I won't lie that I'm rooting for them," Medea agreed. Her thoughts wandered off a moment. "Kinda reminds of how I teased a fiery youngster some years ago. Thinking back on it, though, I'm not sure if I was joking or if I was serious about hanging around with him…"

While the topic on Medea's mind was a little random given their current situation, Luna had an inkling of an idea on what she was talking about. It was at one of the worlds they've been to when she was a child; she recalled that there were two boys – one redhead, the other with blue hair – and there was some interaction with them. Somehow, she still remembers how her Guardian did tease with the redhead like she's intentionally flirting with him. Those thoughts, though, do make her think of Riku, and how much she wishes to be back with him without any more trouble forced upon him.

"It does make me wish I had Riku back with me," Luna admitted as she and her Guardian started to follow the boys. "But I'd rather it be under better circumstances, when the problems of the past are finally put to rest."

Behind them, Nero wondered what on earth those two were talking about since he couldn't catch most of their conversation. Whatever it was, it had to be very personal for them; however, he couldn't help wondering why Luna was being persistent with her train of thought, let alone still hold her heart out to Riku. Did he have something that he was sorely lacking?

But that's not the only thing on his mind. He's been noticing something peculiar in Luna's behavior whenever she tries to talk about something important to her. When she was trying to answer a question to Riku, she suddenly became overwhelmed with emotions and slipped into some kind of meltdown. What's worse is that, prior to this incident, she had confided to the cricket that someone had attempted to isolate her from the others and kidnap her under their noses; granted, she escaped, but he didn't have a clue what exactly went down on her part while she was separated from them.

"Just what's going on now?" he asked himself, finding no conclusive answer.


	22. Chapter 21: Vexen and Twilight Town

**Hello, there! Lilith here.**

 **And I'm back, and with another chapter! Things are heating up, tension is running about, and s**t has begun to hit the fan right now. Who's getting eager for the big reveal?**

 **Now, no need to spill it out. I'm sure there are some of you who already know what's gonna happen.**

 **Anyway, after having gone through the Sora section a couple times, I'll be switching over to Riku. And perhaps I'll do something a little interesting with one of the worlds... hehehe**

 **So, anyways, without further ado, hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Also, thank you, Ever Dreaming Kitten, for giving your input for ideas. Much appreciated. ;)**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are not acceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 21: Vexen and Twilight Town

"It's way too quiet here," Medea said, breaking the silence, "I don't like it one bit."

"It is a bit unsettling, now that you mention it," Luna agreed nervously, "After not seeing Riku, I'm starting to think we're about to run into a trap."

And there certainly is a good reason for them to be uneasy about returning to the castle hall once again. So far, ever since moving past the tenth floor of Castle Oblivion, things have been suspiciously quiet after leaving the last world they've been through. In fact, they have come to grow a little too comfortable with the mysterious absence of Riku as well as the lack of contact with the people in black coats that they've run into, which really should've raised a few yellow flags at this point. One would think somebody would want to either give them trouble or attempt to kill them – anything to let them know that they aren't going through the castle without some hazards along the way. They've had a hooded guy taunting them, a redhead teasing and testing their skills, a sadistic blonde who bullied them mercilessly, and an out-of-whack Riku who seems to be having mood swings over certain people. Is there anything else in this crazy castle that wants to give them trouble while they're here?

Unfortunately for them, there is.

Just as they're about to go further up the floor, dark energy manifested in the middle of the room when a new face appeared before them to greet them directly, forcing everyone to be on cautious alert. Unlike the previous people they've encountered, the man is older than the others, but the black coat is enough evidence that he's involved with them. This is enough for Sora to immediately suspect that something's up about him.

"Who are you?!" Sora demanded to know.

"I am Vexen. I have come to collect your debt, Sora," Vexen replied, "and to run a long overdue diagnosis on Luna."

That gave Sora and Luna's companions' confusion about the situation, particularly Donald and Goofy. Just what could this guy possibly want with Sora and Luna? And why would he say that someone has a debt, or an appointment with him for that matter?

Donald, turning to Luna, asked her, "When did you ask for a doctor?"

"I didn't. I haven't been to the doctor ever since I was confirmed recovered," Luna replied.

Goofy, on the other hand, turned to Sora and asked him in confusion, "A debt? Sora, do you owe something to this guy?"

Sora found that ridiculous. "Come on, of course not."

"Oh, but you do. You owe me for reuniting you with your former friend," Vexen answered.

It didn't take long for Sora and Luna to fill in what he meant. "You don't mean –"

"Indeed I do. I'm the one who brought Riku to you two," the elder man replied knowingly. "It's a pity that the reception was mixed, though."

"Then…you're the one…" A thought crossed Sora's mind. "You're the one who's been controlling Riku! What have you done with him?"

The idea that this man is responsible for the strange changes in Riku's character was enough to startle almost everyone in the room. In Luna's case, it nearly completely convinced her that Vexen might've brainwashed him into hating Sora so that it would be easier to snatch her up for whomsoever put a target on her back, whoever that might be. Medea appeared to agree on it, more so since her claws are about ready to form and tear someone apart for their trouble. But throughout this, Nero had been rendered unusually silent; though his hand is positioned at the blade, ready to stand and fight if needed, nobody seemed to notice the trembling in his hand as he gave a dangerous glare right at the elder man.

But Vexen didn't seem to care about their ideas at all. "I see no need to give you information about where Riku is. After all -" He made a momentary pause as little clusters of ice manifested in his hand into the form of a crystalline shield, prepared in defense of the owner. "Why trouble you in your final hour?"

Fighting against Vexen definitely gave them some level of annoyance, and it's not just in the fact that he's armed with an annoyingly tough shield made of durable ice. Sora and Medea alone had a lot of trouble getting up close and nasty with their enemy despite having the weapons that could break through his defenses, and it doesn't help that Goofy's shield could only leave a dent at best. Luna and Donald's attempt to support their allies was tough on their part mostly due in part to the ice spells that Vexen would let loose on them; primarily the icicles summoned would force them to evade to the side or run away until it subsides (but then again, their friends aren't any better in that department since it also can chase after them and force them to stay on the move until it wears off. Nero, on the flipside of it, seemed to be having trouble fighting against the old man; whether it is because he's not accustomed to confronting those people in the black coats after the incident with Larxene or if something's bothering him about them they don't have time to uncover right now.

Regardless of the situation, the fight with the old man was suspiciously too easy, almost as though he wasn't really giving his all in the confrontation. Sure, they had gotten some hits in, but that's only on his pesky shield, not on Vexen himself. In fact, as soon as he was pushed back a little ways, he just stopped fighting them.

"As I expected, you weren't ones to die easily," he commented, rather impressed.

"As if I'd ever lose to you!" Sora rebuked.

"Especially if you were being lenient," Luna added.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Did you even notice, either of you?" Vexen debunked them, "I was delving deep into your memory as we fought. And here…look what I found." He pulled out a card from his pocket and showed it to them. "A card crafted from all the memories that are locked in the other side of your heart."

From there, Vexen threw the card over towards them, using this as a distraction so that he could make his getaway before Sora could stop him from trying to detain him.

"Wait!" Sora called out, but it was too late. All he could do is look at the card he caught as their enemy left. "Memories…in the other side?"

"What the hell is that about?" Medea wanted to know.

"How should I know? I can't read their minds," Nero replied in annoyance.

Luna peeked over Sora's shoulder to inspect the card, and asked, "What do you suppose he wants us to find with that card? Do you recognize it at all?"

Sora shook his head. "No, I don't. At least…I don't think so."

* * *

Meanwhile, up somewhere in the castle, while everything that occurred just below the next floor was going on, Marluxia, Axel and Larxene were watching Vexen's confrontation with Sora and Luna to see how the event would play out. Needless to say, when they witnessed him giving them a suspicious card that he had on his person, they didn't take the situation too well. What happened down there was not what they had in mind for their agenda; whatever he could be doing with Sora and Luna would be a disaster in their eyes. Axel appeared to be aware of it when he brought it up toward the castle keeper.

"If Sora and Luna disappear, that would mess up the Organization's plans," he noted.

Marluxia couldn't agree more. "I trust you know what you need to do."

Axel shrugged. "Haven't a clue, really. Maybe you could spell it out for me."

"Vexen has clearly committed a treasonous act against the Organization," Marluxia clarified, "You must eliminate the traitor."

That's exactly what the redhead expected. "No taking that back later."

With that, Axel left the room in a flash of darkness, leaving Marluxia and Larxene to continue watching everything, if just to see how the rest of the event will play out – and whether or not Axel will do the job effectively enough to let things run smoothly again.

* * *

On the eleventh floor of Castle Oblivion, Sora and Luna's party gathered around to take a look at the card Vexen gave them for their apparent use. From what they can see, they could barely make out the impression of a town with a tower protruding out towards a sky blanketed in beautiful yet mysterious twilight coloration. To their knowledge, none of them have ever seen a place like this, certainly not when they had first ventured out with their friends. So then, why was Vexen talking about the place like it should be familiar to them when it clearly isn't?

Jiminy seemed to wonder about it too when he asked, "A card made outta the memories from 'The other side of the heart'? Hmm, I wonder what it does."

"We'll find out soon enough," Sora replied. "It's the only one we have left. No other way to move forward."

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious," Luna warned nervously. "We don't know where it will lead us."

"I agree with her. It could be a trap set up by Vexen!" Donald agreed wholeheartedly.

Nero rolled his eyes. "You're just being paranoid, duck. If it were meant to be a trap, he would've taken one of us as bait."

"Watch it or one of us **_will_** get in trouble with the old goat," Medea said sarcastically.

Since there's not much else that they can do except to use the card as the creep wanted them to, Sora raised the card to the door and used its hidden power to open the way through. What will they find, they don't know. But it sure will be a new experience for them, being someplace supposedly from the other side of their hearts, whatever on earth that meant.

* * *

When they arrived inside this strange world, they looked around to find themselves in the middle of a street in a town filled with numerous lights between the stone pavements and decorated lit lampposts clocking in almost around their height, illuminating parts of the block. Houses of all shapes and sizes lined up around every corner with stairways connecting to different parts of the street, and little shops are scattered around the open spaces of the squares. Far off into the distance, a clock tower can be spotted looking over the vast surrounding area, buildings and lush greens stretching out for miles; but all that there is to behold is covered by a tremendous dual shade of light and shadow, its skies perpetually displaying a twilight glow that emanated across the town streets.

The town itself gave most of the party a sense of innocent wonder and curiosity as to how a place like this exists; but most of all, it gave them more questions about their environment than answers. There had to be a reason why Vexen wanted them to come here in the first place, but now they don't have a clue what they should be looking for here.

"Gawrsh… Where are we, Sora?" Goofy asked.

"Hmm…" Sora looked around a bit, trying to recall anything about this strange place. But nothing came to mind. "I dunno… I've never been here."

"Me neither," Donald agreed. He turned to Luna. "Do you or Medea recognize it?"

Luna shook her head sadly. "No, I don't think I've ever been here."

"Don't look at me. I don't know what the hell this is," Medea agreed bluntly.

Jiminy emerged to get a full view, and even he doesn't know what to make of it. "That can't be right! Up 'til now, the only places we've been are from Sora and Luna's memories."

"Maybe so, but I definitely don't remember this," Sora insisted.

"You might've forgotten this town just like the other stuff," Donald had reason to guess.

That disappointed Jiminy. "This is terrible. Our memories are practically gone."

That was rather disappointing to hear, considering what they've gone through in their journey inside Castle Oblivion. And if a cricket is believing that their memories have been lost because of the castle's effects, that's saying something.

"So what if you guys forgot about a lot of things you've been through before coming to Castle Oblivion?" Nero said dismissively, "There have been other things that Sora's started to remember, and Luna has to be going through the same thing as him."

"He's right. We'll be okay," Sora agreed, "See, look at this…"

He pulled out the star-shaped charm from his pocket and showed it to everyone. Donald and Goofy quickly knew what it is, but Luna and Medea had no comment about it.

"Namine's good luck charm!" Goofy remembered.

"There's a special memory that goes with it," Sora continued, "One night, when Namine and I were little, there was this meteor shower. Namine started crying. She said, 'What if a shooting star hits the islands?' So I said, 'If a shooting star comes this way, I'll just hit it right back to outer space!' I was swinging this toy sword around the whole time. Namine just smiled and said, 'Thanks.' And then, she gave me this."

Mostly out of curiosity, Luna asked, "Was I there when this happened?"

"No. You were unable to come along because of your illness," Sora replied.

As puzzled as she was about it, Luna didn't try to pry further into it since she had questions that she wanted to direct to Nero when they don't have Heartless to worry about. But then, from behind Sora, she could barely make out the projection a young female form looking on sadly toward him; she couldn't help wondering if she's the only one who is actually seeing this shade of a girl who looks just like the person Sora has been remembering about since their ventures through the castle halls. But what she heard the girl say would really give her more questions than answers.

"Sora, I'm so sorry," she said sadly, "All this, because of me…" She then looked in Luna's direction. "Luna, please…find the truth."

As much as she wanted to ask this girl something, she couldn't find the words to do that. It didn't help that the phantasm vanished from sight, leaving her with little to work with. Still, Luna wondered what the girl was feeling regretful about, and why she told her to find the truth. What truth? Maybe she's being asked to investigate the problem at large, to try and get a better scope to what the bigger picture is.

"Namine said she had it ever since she was a baby."

"And she gave it to you? Aww…"

Luna snapped out of her trance when she realized that the boys were still having their talk about Namine, and quickly turned her attention back to them to the best of her ability. But her Guardian was quick to notice that something's bothering her a lot, but now is not the time to pry into the matter.

"Yeah. So I promised her… From now on, I'll bring you good luck. I'll keep you safe," Sora replied. "But then one day, Namine left the islands…and I forgot about her all this time." He shook his head sadly. "I really let her down…"

"Then you can apologize to her when you find her," Nero suggested, "She's just a little further up. Once we find her, you can spend as much time as you want with her."

Sora certainly felt more motivated than ever about seeking Namine because of Nero's assurance, more so as he urged everyone to follow him around the town as they searched for where to go from there. However, unknown to the boys, something else was running through the heads of the two ladies in their party after listening to the discussion about Namine and what Sora claims to have been remembering now. Between encountering those people wearing black coats, having debates on the accuracy of everyone's memories, and the unexplainable pursuit of someone who they've never heard about before, they aren't too sure who's in the right about what's happening now. Someone's going to have to start some digging into this as soon as possible.

"I do not like where things are going one bit," Medea admitted to her master while everyone's preoccupied. "I've been hearing talks about Namine non-stop, and it's starting to get on my nerves already. Plus, Nero's been way too off lately. I think he's hiding something."

"After all that we've been through, now I'm curious as to why Nero's been accompanying us through the castle," Luna agreed, "Perhaps I should ask him about himself as soon as I have an opening. It might help us confirm what the truth is or what isn't."

Medea raised a brow at this. "What brought this on?"

"The girl…I saw her, or rather a projection," Luna confessed, "She sounded sad about Sora. But I also heard her tell me to find the truth…whatever she means by that."

"Then we'd better hope we find something before things get out of hand real fast," Medea agreed with her.

* * *

Navigating the peculiar town was almost not a cakewalk, and it certainly didn't help with the Heartless running amok to cause trouble for them. At the very least, there weren't any residents in the area to speak of, so there was no need to worry about endangered civilians or need to concern with unneeded casualties; this notion, at best gave them something to focus on while they're searching around the place for a clue.

However, on Luna's part, her mind has been a lot more distracted than everyone else is because of all the confusing events that they've been through from the moment they stepped inside Castle Oblivion. They've been encountering people in black coats, claiming to be expecting things from her and Sora; she and Medea had an encounter with another one of them who claims that their leader has been trying to find her for nine years; Sora has been forgetting about people he used to know of and then remembering someone under the name of Namine, and is now in hot pursuit of her; Riku has been very contradictory with his attitude between her and Sora; and Nero's willingness to join their group has been far too convenient for them, and has made their progress up the floors too easy.

But then again, whenever she was around Nero, she couldn't escape from the disconcerting feeling that her memories have been locked up by some force that she couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly. It's almost like she's losing some memories, but others have been under lock and key, and she doesn't have the key to unlock what was kept out of her reach. And that's not even mentioning the fragmented memories that have been cropping up for no good reason; she had no idea what the deal is behind this unnatural horror.

"Hey, Luna, what's going on?" Nero's question snapped her back to reality. "You've been zoning out since we started wandering around the place. Is there something wrong?"

Well, now's her chance to speak with her 'brother' what she's wanted to know. She might as well just do it now, or she'll regret not talking about the problem.

"A lot has been running through my mind. I have a lot of questions…too many questions," Luna replied carefully, "I didn't want to admit it, but I wanted to trust you, Nero. But…I need to know. I want to know why you're here, what you're doing here, and where you've been."

A look of surprise crossed Nero's face as she said this. Apparently, he didn't expect her to begin an interrogation with him. He thought he had told her what she should know, but it seemed that she didn't feel satisfied with the answers she's been given ever since he joined the party. He should've known about this the moment he made his claims about being related to her.

"What do you want to know?" he asked her, relenting to the inevitable.

"Well…for one thing, where were you ten years ago, when I was but a child?" Luna asked. "For that matter, where were you when I was born?"

Nero thought about it for a moment, before he gave his explanation. "You probably were too young to remember anything about me, hence your lack of knowledge of me. The reason we haven't been able to meet was because I've been travelling through the worlds, trying to explore past my boundaries, and you were left elsewhere for safekeeping. And just to make sure I'd be able to know it's you, I left the sunstone brooch with you."

That was when Luna recalled how Larxene pointed out the gem she carried on her person during their encounter. So that explained the coloration of the gemstone held in the bauble. But that still doesn't explain how she ended up with it in the first place.

"Anyway, when disaster struck, I meant to come back for you and take you somewhere safe, but I couldn't find you anywhere," Nero continued, "I looked everywhere for years, until I stumbled upon this castle – Castle Oblivion, which I know the name of now – and tried to take a look inside. Like I said before, I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. From the moment I entered the castle, I got caught and was kept prisoner by those people in the black coats. While under their watch, that was when I met Namine, another prisoner, like me. She told me about you and Sora, and that you were both on your way here, which gave me enough motivation to dare to escape our captors and get help. After that, you pretty much already know the rest."

Luna gave a nod like she's listening closely to what he's telling her, but she didn't admit to having any doubts about his testimony. She had to try and get more information from him before she makes the right judgment call about whether he was being honest to her or not. And besides, she hasn't gotten Riku's perspective regarding Nero's existence, let alone what he knew regarding Namine.

"Hmm… In that case, did you have any friends to speak of when you were traveling?" Luna asked. "I still somewhat recall that I had friends. They were also my caretakers."

Nero was silent for a moment before he gave his answer. "No. Not to my knowledge. Why, are you thinking that I've been around those people you spoke about?"

"It was just a thought," she replied, "I'm having trouble remembering their names, but I'm sure I know them. I thought you would remember anything about them."

"In that case, I'd have to say that I don't know them whatsoever," Nero answered her.

That posed a problem for her. If he says that he doesn't know those childhood friends that she mentioned despite having trouble remembering the names herself, then that's a sure sign that he might not have any memories of them. Whether it is due to the castle's effects or if he never met them to begin with is where she doesn't have the answer. Surely he would've known those people before, or at the very least, knew her older brother.

Problem was, Luna realized that she's now having trouble remembering anything about her other brother. She knew that the name started with a 'T', and that he was related to her, but she had trouble getting a clear image of his face. Could she have really been losing more of her memories than she thought? She dreaded to think of how more she lost to the castle or this mysterious lock inside her head, especially since Sora's memories are not helping her understand the bigger picture of the situation.

However, she opted not to go any further into the matter since she had reason to believe prying in too much would arouse Nero's suspicions, and there's an off chance he might either shut down any conversation she would've wanted to have or would get defensive over any inconsistencies she would've pointed out. Perhaps she should try to get answers elsewhere until she can get her memories together. After all, there is still Vexen to consider. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had reason to suspect that he knows more about what's going on in Castle Oblivion than they do. Why else did he want them to come to this new world? Surely he had a purpose behind bringing them to this location.

* * *

Their investigation through the town led them all the way through a hole in the wall, which brought their trail down a path towards a gate blocking the path to a mansion that appeared to be deserted. It certainly looked beautiful and grand on the outside, but something about it gave off the impression of loneliness, with no light coming from the place despite there being windows that could likely be seen through; if it were any older, it would've been the perfect place to become a haunted house attraction if someone invested in the unknown lore of the mansion left isolated from the rest of civilization.

But the lonely majesty of the mansion wasn't the first thing on Sora's mind. If anything, he wasn't even remotely sure why he's even here in the first place.

Goofy noticed this in him, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Something…feels really strange," Sora replied with unease, "I'm sure I don't remember this place, but it's starting to look like it's familiar to me…"

"You must have come here sometime before," Donald had reason to believe.

"No, and that's why it's strange…" Sora insisted.

"Yeah, well, I still say that I sure as hell don't remember this place at all," Medea strongly insisted.

"I know I haven't been here, either. I don't even recall what that mansion is," Luna agreed, "or know what the town's name is."

"See? Even Luna and Medea don't recognize anything about it at all," Sora pointed out.

"It could be like with Namine. You forget lots of other stuff," Goofy speculated, "and that's why you remember this place now."

Sora shook his head. "No… It's different. With Namine – my memories…sort of came back to me, a little piece at a time. But not now. It's not memories – it's just this idea that I've been here before."

"So, feeling nostalgic?"

And right on cue, Vexen reappeared before them, sending the entire party on alert for what the creepy old man might be planning to do now that they've arrived where he wanted them. But rather than just fight them, the elder man had some questions to deliver to them that seemed to be testing their minds – and their patience.

"Sora, Luna…a question, then, for both of you," he said in the most uncanny tone, "Your memories of Namine or your feelings here – which of these is more real, I wonder."

"Namine, of course!" Sora answered like it's the truth.

But Luna was more hesitant in her answer. "I'm not sure what I feel about Namine."

Vexen took note of her answer and asked her, "Then what of your memories of Nero, or your connections with him, Luna? Do you believe them to be real as well?"

Her answer faltered a bit. "I…I think he is my brother… But I don't know."

"Does it matter? Whatever it is we're feeling," Sora interrupted Vexen's interrogation of his friend, "I'd bet it's just another one of your mean little tricks!"

The elder man chuckled darkly. "The memory's wiles can be cruel. In its silence, we forget. In its obsession, it can bind our hearts."

"Cut the riddles!" Sora snapped.

"I told you – This place was created solely from another side of your memory," Vexen said without care of the tension, "It is on the other side of your heart that the memory of this place exists. It is your heart that remembers, more than your little friend."

"Are you gonna get straight to the point yet?" Medea commented in annoyance.

"You're wrong! I don't know this place!" Sora insisted irritably.

"If you remain bound by the chain of memories and refuse to believe what is truly found in your heart," Vexen warned vaguely, "then throw it away. You're not a Keyblade master – just a slave to twisted memories, dragging your poor friend into her buried horrors. Yes… Exactly like my Riku. Your existence is worth nothing!"

That shocked Luna badly. "What did you say…?"

"Like YOUR Riku? Worth nothing?" Sora repeated what the man had said. His body shook violently in anger before he finally lost his temper. "That's enough! YOU'RE the one who changed Riku! I'm not dragging Luna into anything! Every word you've said is a lie! I'd never throw away my heart! I'm gonna take you down and save Riku and Namine. THAT'S what's in my heart!"

It didn't take long for a fight to be let loose upon the field, with Sora leading a vicious charge at their enemy. But if Vexen was an annoying pest before, then he's making a bigger nuisance of himself this time around. Not only has his irritating ice magic become increasingly dangerous to interact with, but he's not shy about letting loose the big guns to give the party a frostier reception than before; icicles summoned at his call, blocks of ice formed to attempt to capture any target within reach, and razor sharp snowflakes raining down on separate occasions turned the makeshift arena into a colder minefield that would freeze someone to their bones if someone is stupid enough to think he's an easy target.

Of course, that didn't mean that there weren't opportunities to get a few verbal jabs in at someone; though, most of these were inflicted by Vexen, who apparently didn't just want to get under Sora's skin for some reason. Considering how Luna seemed to be rather slow on processing what's happening around her, he didn't see any problems to pry into her head, if not to sate his morbid curiosity on what progression has been running through her mind since coming here. And he certainly had an idea what he'd like to pick apart at first: the damage that transpired since coming here with Sora.

"Luna, my dear, am I seeing signs of anxiety coming from you?" he asked knowingly, "I wonder how much of your mental faculties are coming apart since you came here."

Her first reaction to such a question made her almost feel as though she doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. But when she recalled how Vexen claimed to intend to run a diagnosis on her like a doctor, something about it made her very uncomfortable, to the point that she just wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she answered quickly.

"Really? Then why are you having fits of terror, paranoia over Nero's integrity?" he pressed her, "Are you certain that your mind is stable with your memories becoming a mess? What are you starting to remember after having lost the missing memories from nine years ago?"

Nine years ago? That's what Zexion mentioned to her when she and Medea encountered him in that different card-world they went through. Larxene was similar in that, except she refused to spill everything when it was demanded of her. Is Luna imagining things, or is she noticing a pattern? What few people they've encountered thus far claimed to have known her sometime before; even the man whose face hadn't been revealed spoke of her like something of value with his flowery terms.

However, Vexen's interrogating with Luna seemed to aggravate Nero to the point where he charged in hastily and tried to land a hit on the old man; he didn't successfully get past the shield's defenses, but he did manage to force him to back away a few yards.

"Shut up and stop poking your nose into everyone's business!" he snapped angrily.

Out of all the party members fighting with Vexen on the field, Sora, Nero and Medea proved to be the more aggressive of them when they concentrated their efforts to break the old man's barriers until his weapon can't withstand the pressure. After continual waves of force exerted, the shield eventually couldn't hold against them any longer and abruptly smashed apart into irreparable pieces, leaving him wide open for the trio to brutally beat him down until he could hardly hold himself up from the punishment he took.

"Urrgh… You have such strength, even at the mercy of your memory," Vexen groaned.

"None of that matters!" Sora retorted, "Just put Riku back!"

Vexen chuckled like Sora's demand was a joke. "Just put him back? The Riku you speak of…has but one fate, to sink into the darkness – and you and Luna will share that fate, Sora! If you continue to seek the girl, Namine, the shackles will tighten; you'll lose your heart…and end up becoming Marluxia's pawn!"

Something about the name struck odd with Sora and Luna, but to different extents.

"Who…? Is that the name of that man we encountered when we first got here?" Luna asked quietly.

"Marluxia? What does Namine have to do with –" Sora was about to demand for answers.

But any opportunity to grind at the old man for answers was abruptly halted when an enflamed chakram suddenly sailed right past Sora and Luna, knocking an already badly injured Vexen down to the ground. At first startled by this unprecedented moment, everyone turned around to find that Axel had arrived on the scene, and it doesn't seem like he's there just for a friendly chat right now.

"Axel!" Sora exclaimed.

"What are you doing here, Axel?" Luna asked.

"Well, look who decided to kill the drama," Medea said sarcastically.

"Yo, Sora and Luna. Did I catch you two at a bad time?" he greeted them nonchalantly.

Vexen, recognizing the assailant, struggled to get back up on his feet after having already experienced enough pain. "Axel, why…?"

"I came to stop you from talking too much…" Axel replied, "By eliminating your existence."

"No… Don't do it!" Vexen pleaded.

"We are just Nobodies who have no right to be, and yet we 'are'," Axel said cryptically, "But now you can be nothing instead of a Nobody. You're off the hook."

Horrified, Vexen implored for mercy. "No… Please don't! I don't want to –"

"Goodbye."

With just a snap of Axel's fingers, a burst of flame billowed out of Vexen from the inside out, burning away at him until his form vanished in flickering darkness that snuffed out like an exhausted candle. As this happened, Medea protectively held her master close to her while Nero just stood there, stunned at the infernal carnage inflicted before their eyes. Donald and Goofy had no words to say about the horrors that they can't remove from their minds, and were only left dumbstruck at the horrific event. Sora had no words to describe his feelings about the violence that occurred, but he certainly was in disbelief that someone like Axel would have the gall to kill someone who might as well be involved with him.

When the flames died out and Vexen had completely disappeared from existence, a few of them had not-so-nice things to say about the incident.

"What the hell was that for?!" Medea snapped bitterly.

He shrugged. "You asking me?"

"But…you killed him!" Luna exclaimed, her voice cracked from horror.

"Yeah. I know," he answered her like it's no big deal.

"What are you – What ARE you people?!" Sora shouted, angered and horrified.

Axel shook his head. "Don't know. I wonder about that myself."

Nobody could get anything more out of him when Axel left them as quickly as he came; leaving them with more questions than answers after Vexen had been forcibly silenced. Too much has happened in too quick a succession: first they had been chasing the trail of Namine, then there have been conflicts with Riku, and now someone has been killed just for talking too much.

Just what on earth is going on to make everything so complicated to understand? What are they supposed to do now?

"Let's just get outta here, and keep looking for Namine," Nero finally spoke up after recovering his voice, "The sooner we find her, the sooner we can leave."

Sora nodded. "Yeah, let's just go. We gotta find Riku and Namine. It's the only thing we can do now."

Nobody said anything else as they hurried their way out of the mansion path, meaning to get out of there as soon as possible and get back into familiar territory, even it's just another section of this godforsaken castle. There was just no more room for options besides to keep going forward. But when they do, what more trouble waits for them, be it with the people with the black coats…or something much worse than that?


	23. Chapter 22: Halloween Town - Riku

**Hello again! Lilith here.**

 **And finally, I've brought another little fun with Riku. Considering what I did with previous chapters involving him and his traveling companion, I thought it fair to give one of the characters more screen time (or page time), even if just a little bit.**

 **Anyways, I'm sure you guys are noticing that I'm getting closer to finishing this storyline. Can you believe it? I'm almost through with Sora's adventures and Riku's adventures, and I know that I'm gonna have to get ready with the next fic.**

 **But until then, I'm looking through the world suggestions provided by some of my dear readers, and I'm trying to figure out which ones could be feasible to put in - and trust me, I'm pretty much sorting things by who is exploring which world, what the setup is, and what the main enemy is for the respective world. And I do intend to have a world fill in the void for a substitute 100 Acre Wood.**

 **So, if anyone else hasn't given their input on Disney worlds or Final Fantasy characters they want me to put in the next storyline, please PM or leave your suggestions in your review. I'll be sure to take notes.**

 **So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy!**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 22: Basement 5 – Halloween Town, Riku

After their little heart-to-heart talk earlier, Riku and Noir proceeded through the next world available for them. Their next trip took them into the ocean depths of Atlantica; for the both of them, it was a whole new experience wandering about under the sea. Luckily for them, they didn't have to worry about drowning. The only thing they had to worry about is the annoying numbers of Heartless that threatened to soil the natural beauty of the sea; eventually their pursuit of the Heartles led them along a bread crumb to the sea witch, Ursula, who obviously was controlling the black creatures because she revels in the malice she unleashes for the pettiest of reasons. After defeating her, they were able to leave the place and get back onto familiar ground…but not without having to feel the aftermath of being underwater for an extended period of time. By the time they came out, they were pretty much soaking all over, and had to stop a moment to take care of it to the best of their ability.

"My goodness… It's been a while since I've had to deal with being underwater," Noir said as she squeezed the curls of her hair in an effort to get the water out.

"Tell me about it. I almost felt a little slow with the current pushing me around," Riku agreed as he wringed his pants of the water.

She chuckled at his comment. "Yes, well, I certainly hope the next world we go into has something a little easier to navigate, or at the very least would help us oddballs be able to get around without drawing too much attention too quickly."

"We'll just have to find out once we get going," he replied, "But first, let's get some water off of us so that we can get moving faster."

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the dark room of the castle basement, Zexion was doing his usual monitoring of the castle when, without warning, he suddenly sensed something in the air that felt troubling. Someone has perished just now, and he's quite certain it wasn't by the hands of Sora, or Luna for that matter. It had to be one of their members who caused the snuffing out of the scent. Did something happen upstairs that caused one of the scents he knows to disappear? His fears would be confirmed when Lexaeus arrived to meet him and to give him the disturbing regarding the fate of one of their own members.

"Vexen is no more," Lexaeus reported.

Zexion nodded grimly, his worst fears now confirmed. "Yes, his scent is gone. Axel struck him down…something I find deplorable – Agents of the Organization striking each other down."

"Our problem is Sora," Lexaeus got straight to the point, "Vexen was no match for him, yet he's still under Namine's control. Luna, on the other hand, still barely clings to her own will even after all the tampering done in her mind."

"But we cannot eliminate Sora, can we? Not while she's there with him," Zexion pointed out the dilemma.

"Correct. For our Superior – he is in need of the hero of light and the Shadow Mage," Lexaeus replied, "When light loses sight of its path – we may find use for the dark. What we must do – is obtain the darkness."

It didn't take long for the tactical schemer to know what his partner was talking about. Should things go awry with capturing Sora, there were plans to go after his friend – who bears the opposite of what Sora has.

"Riku… Of course," he remembered.

Indeed, there were intentions Zexion had on seizing Riku for a potential tool for the Organization to use should things with Sora fall apart. But there's also something else he wanted to consider: after being mortified at how Luna managed to escape his clutches despite his efforts to persuade her to surrender by word or by force, he had been hoping for another chance to get under her skin and she her delivered to the Superior. He still remembered how she insisted on preferring to be with Riku despite travelling with Sora; the words still sting him to the core. Should capturing Riku work well enough, then this could give him ample opportunity to use her desired man as a bargaining tool so as to secure her cooperation.

* * *

"Hey, Noir, are you familiar with Halloween?" Riku asked as he was searching the cards.

When being given the question, she took a moment to think about how best to answer it without sounding sheltered from what it is implied to be the norm for her younger partner. Still, it is a good question, and it didn't hurt to give the best reply that would let him know where her awareness of her environments has its limits.

"Hmm…I've heard of Hallow Evening, but I'm not aware there was a holiday renaming," Noir replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, I guess," he replied, "Though, there is a town revolving around that stuff."

Hey eyes widened a bit from surprise at this. "Is there? What is like there? Is it a terrifying place, or is it an amusing place?"

He chuckled a bit in amusement, irresistibly smiling at Noir's fascinated questions. She almost makes him believe that underneath that knowing adult exterior, there is still a curious young girl somewhere within her heart; he may not know where she's been before coming to the castle, but at least he's able to see a different side to her that nobody he knows has seen yet. What would Sora and Luna think if they got the chance to meet her? Perhaps Luna might know something about her, or perhaps she wouldn't know. Sora, on the other hand, would probably want to be friends with her right away.

"You'll find out," Riku answered her, having already decided their next destination.

* * *

Upon entering into Halloween Town, it didn't take long for them to identify that there are significant changes made with their appearances to go with the theme of the world they've arrived into.

Riku saw himself dressed in something similar to his own clothes, except that the straps on his shirt are trimmed with fur and his pants became tattered with botched stitches done at the bottom hems and belts holding his clothes together; his regular gloves are replaced with fur gloves, and his boots became wolf feet. White wolf ears are seen sticking out from his silver hair, and a long, matching white tail protruded out from the rear; his face appeared to have been made up with black eyeshadows to give off an animalistic look.

Noir, on the other hand, found herself wearing a plunge-cut, long form-fitting black dress with a spike-trimmed train hem and long, black stitched gloves showing slightly pointed nails ready to tear out; her blue cloak is now laced with web patterns and flaring collar held by silver pins, and her veiled headdress changed into a wide-rimmed witch's hat with a net-woven veil surrounding her head. A moonstone pendant can be found hanging around her neck, visible after hiding under the cloak previously.

Riku examined his wardrobe and appearance as he wondered, "This is new…do these changes happen in some worlds?"

In Noir's case, when she saw what Riku looked like, she couldn't help getting fixated on the ears, like she had half a mind to do something to it with her two hands.

"…I'm almost tempted to pet you because of those ears," she finally admitted aloud.

Riku caught on quick to her thoughts, and immediately covered his ears. "I'd rather you didn't."

Fortunately, it didn't take them too long to lose focus on themselves and to realize that there's something a little out of place with the town from the moment they arrived at the path to the town gate. It's almost like the entire area has become a ghost town (no pun intended), but from afar, it can be quickly detected that there are groups of Heartless roaming around the place as though they're searching for something. What could the creatures possibly be looking for in a place that operates under a specific holiday?

"Now what're the Heartless doing this time?" Riku wondered.

"It doesn't look like a random attack like the last worlds we've gone through," Noir deduced.

He had to agree on that. Some of the worlds they went through had Heartless attack for no good reason. So what could the Heartless be doing this time?

"Let's get inside, find out what they're after," Riku suggested as he led the way.

"And hope nobody is hurt," Noir agreed as she followed close behind him.

Just like on the outside, the central square of the town is found to be completely deserted, not a sound to be heard except for the rush of the fountain in the square. Or, at least, there wouldn't have been too much noise to speak of if the Heartless hadn't been making a lot of pattering footsteps against the cobblestones or moving through the air on a stiff breeze. What's odd about this bunch of Heartless is that they're too busy collecting bottles and papers off the streets to recognize there are unexpected visitors, and it's not for recycling purposes – not that there is a place to recycle such things here anyway. It's almost as though they're inspecting the designated territory at the command of someone pulling the strings.

Puzzled, Noir wondered, "What could they possibly be doing?"

"Not a cleanup job, that's for sure," Riku answered.

Then, without warning, the Heartless that were busily searching the town abruptly stopped what they're doing, turned around to find two uninvited guests in the middle of the town. Before long, all that were within the vicinity suddenly became aggressive and immediately moved in to attack the intruders. However, Riku and Noir were more than ready for the oncoming assault, wiping the floor with these invasive creatures left and right like dirt to be swept off the streets. As soon as the dust cleared and no Heartless can be found at the moment, the duo took this opportunity to investigate what it is the creatures were searching for in this town…and what they found scattered around the square baffled them. Several bottles of many shapes and sizes littered the roads, each labeled with different contents and materials neither of them understood; the papers, on the other hand, were mostly blank with nothing written on them, with only a few suspicious exceptions to speak of.

"What person in their right minds would leave a mess like this?" Noir asked as she examined the bottles.

"What I'd like to know is what the Heartless are really looking for," Riku commented as he searched through the papers.

After a few moments of inspecting the scene, though, Riku is the first to actually find a potential clue that could shed some light on the Heartless' activities in town: one of the crumpled papers had recorded notes of some kind of research being done on a particular experiment – and the subject of the experiment happened to be a peculiar concoction that documented the potential of revealing the darker side of whoever consumes the formula. However, something else in the notes abruptly made him uneasy; the paper also implies that the concoction has a poisonous side effect – but it stops right there because the bottom part of the paper had been torn off and was lost in the mess on the streets with no way to find it. What could this mysterious substance be, and what is there about it that should be feared?

The only word that came out of Riku's mouth is a stunned, "Whoa…"

Noir stopped inspecting the bottles and asked in concern, "Is something wrong?"

He handed the note to her. "Look at this."

Curious, she took the note and read it thoroughly, and before long, her mouth also drops to a small 'o' as she examined what the subject is about. Her gaze returns to Riku when she suspects what he's thinking.

"This can't be good… I guess the Heartless were trying to find something after all," Noir said, the unease peeking out from her.

"Seems so," Riku agreed, "But what I'd like to know is what this potion –"

He stopped the conversation when a feeling of being watched crept through his spine, forcing Riku to look around the square. Noir followed his eyes and scanned the area; her senses getting a vibe that something – or someone – was watching them. But before they could find who's there, whatever was there was already gone. However, they did hear the faint sound of footsteps from a distance, particularly the sound of very light feet stumbling across the ground.

"Did ya hear that?" Riku asked after the footsteps ceased.

"I did. Was someone watching us?" Noir wondered.

Proceeding on the side of caution, they made a search around the premises to locate their enigmatic spy, hoping to get a view of the observer. Though they couldn't get a clear view of the witness, they did hear the footsteps again; but this time, the distance is much further, leading towards the cemetery – and that's when they caught a shadowy silhouette of a tall person scrambling away before disappearing past the gates.

"Someone **_was_** watching us!" Riku exclaimed as he gave chase.

"Then let's hurry," Noir agreed as she hurriedly followed behind him, "before we lose our only lead."

* * *

Their chase of the fleeing stranger led them straight into the cemetery, but by the time they got there, the person they were pursuing appeared to have disappeared from sight. However, the trail they followed let them know that the spy is still around, and is hiding somewhere among the crooked old tombstones; they only need to get the person to come out of hiding and come clean with what he or she was doing from the sidelines.

"Hey! We know you saw us!" Riku called out in the open. "Come out!"

The eerie silence once broken by the boy cracked apart again when a small, startled sound emerged from somewhere among the graves. It sounded like a woman, albeit with a soft and shy personality, perhaps someone unaccustomed to being around people directly.

"It's alright. We're not here to hurt you," Noir promised, "We just want to talk with you because we think you know something."

Slowly, a tall woman shyly emerged from behind a tombstone and met them face to face. Despite the crude stitching all around her slender figure and the various patches of colored rags for a dress she wore, her modest gestures and big gentle eyes let them know that she is a much more benign creature than the Heartless they encountered in the town. It can be safely confirmed that she's one of the residents of the town, and one that might know what's going on with the Heartless hanging around uninvited.

"So…you're not with the Heartless?" she asked.

"No, we're not. But we're not from around here either," Riku replied to her.

"Perhaps you could kindly tell us your name," Noir asked politely, "and explain to us what is going on in this town, what with the Heartless running around?"

The shy woman replied sweetly, "I'm Sally. Please, forgive my feeling uneasy…but too much has happened in town ever since Dr. Finklestein performed another of his experiments. I'm afraid it will put everyone in danger."

In the middle of her introduction, Riku actually noticed something off when they spoke to her. As she was speaking to them, her hands were kept behind her like she's hiding something from them. That was when he thought about the note that mentioned an experiment, one that implied something potent and possibly dangerous for the user without the important details.

"Is it because of a concoction that was created before we got here?" he asked, getting to the point.

Sally fidgeted, hesitating before answering reluctantly, "Yes, it is." She brought her hands out from behind her back and revealed a glass bottle containing a purple sludgy substance. "This potion is the result of the doctor's attempts to uncover the dark side of a person's heart. But not long after the formula was completed, the Heartless…they appeared without warning. I had a terrible feeling about them…so…I tried to get the potion away."

"Is that why there's a mess across the town?" Noir asked her, "Were you trying to throw the Heartless off the scent, hoping you could hide the potion out of their reach?"

Sally nodded in acknowledgment. "That was the idea. I meant to find a hiding place, but then I saw you two fighting the creatures, and…well…"

By this point, some thoughts started churning inside Riku's head. If the potion is the reason the Heartless are raiding the town, then that means there must be something potentially dangerous in it that could create problems if consumed by anyone. But that can't be the only reason there was a large amount of Heartless running amok; no, there had to be more to their being here than they are seeing right now. Is it possible that somebody caught wind about the experiment and thought about claiming it for their use? If that's the case, then what person – or rather, what ghoul - would be crazy enough to do something like that, even if it meant terrorizing a town and endangering the inhabitants?

But then again, after hanging around with the wrong crowd as long as he had, he should've had a little more understanding about what drove those people (if they can be called that) to pursue their goals before they met a messy downfall. Luna had even warned him before about what happens when someone with selfish ambitions go over the edge; boy, he wished he had taken her word more seriously.

Perhaps, if there's ample opportunity, they might able to acquire more information out of Sally if they keep talking to her. There might be more she's hiding; but given her demeanor since the Heartless arrived, it wouldn't be wise to pressure her into spilling everything at once. No, they need to work with her in order to help her; perhaps the more she tells them about the potion, the more chances they could have at finding whoever the coveter of the prize is. For all he knows, the potion might lure out the perpetrator behind the appearance of the Heartless.

"Say, Sally, you wouldn't happen to know who'd be eager to get their hands on the potion, would you?" Riku asked her.

Sally thought about it a moment. "No…I don't think so. I mean, even if Jack would've been eager to test it, I'm sure he'd know better than anyone how dangerous it is. And the doctor is out the question – he would've preferred to keep experimenting on this until he's gotten the results he needed."

"Then who would want to get their hands on such a hazardous thing?" Noir asked.

"I think it's…" Sally was about to give her answer, but she stopped herself short when she abruptly looked around worriedly. "Actually, we'd better talk about this elsewhere. I think someone's watching us. Let's head into the forest, hope we lose them."

As uncanny as this is, the two had a feeling that their key witness might've noticed something that they didn't, and has reason to believe that they would be in trouble if they lingered around here in the cemetery much longer. So, left with no other choice, Riku and Noir followed Sally's lead as she guided them out of the cemetery towards a bridge leading into the middle of the forest, where they hoped that nothing would be able to give chase to them, let alone be able to catch them off guard when they least expected.

* * *

After walking down a few miles into the barren forest, Sally stopped in the middle of a small clearing, where she finally calmed her nerves enough to give her explanation as to what she thinks might be going that could endanger the town's safety if the potion's secrets are compromised. Now, Riku and Noir hoped they would be able to get more information about what the potion would be capable of in the hands of the person who intends to consume its contents.

"Alright, Sally, you'd better come clean about this," Riku warned, "Who – or what – would stop at nothing to get their hands on the potion you tried to hide away?"

"We don't mean to be suspicious, but we need to know what's going on," Noir assured her.

It is at this moment that Sally decided to come clean. "I couldn't help it. After the potion was completed, I've been seeing the shadow of Jack's ghoulish enemy – Oogie Boogie – stalking around the lab. It was later on that the Heartless came, and starting to stalk around the lab as well." She shook her head guiltily. "I had to do something. I couldn't let the potion be taken, not after uncovering the side effects of the concoction Dr. Finklestein made note of since he first started his tests."

This got Noir worried. "What are the side effects of the potion's use? Isn't it supposed to be a means to reveal the other side of anyone who drinks it?"

"Yes…but that's where the problem is," the timid ragdoll replied worriedly, "When it was tested on a captured Heartless…it's like a much darker side of its behavior took control. I think Oogie saw what happened, and he wanted to try it out for himself."

Where Riku is standing, it's almost sounding like something nearly akin to a Jekyll and Hyde personality switch, and this potion is responsible for bringing out the latter. If that's the case, then if somebody drinks the potion, then that would mean whoever consumes it becomes someone or something else that is contradicting to who they would present themselves as to everyone else. That would mean the potion would be able to reveal something hidden in a person's soul, something that they would fear or embrace. Either way, this could spell disaster if this Oogie Boogie got ahold of it – he dreaded to think about what would happen if the bag of bugs consumed it all on a whim. Imagine how dangerous he would be if left unchecked by an experimental formula!

"Then we oughta get rid of that thing," Riku suggested, "take it off our hands so that nobody would have to deal with it."

"But where could we rid ourselves of the potion?" Noir wondered fearfully.

"Get rid of it? BAH! That's a waste of an experiment!"

The malicious, booming voice alerted to everyone that someone had overheard what they were talking about, and is about ready to get the jump on them at any given moment. Riku and Noir immediately got into defensive positions, whereas Sally clutched the potion close to her chest tightly, not wanting to give it up so easily. Then, out of nowhere, a huge, overweight sack-shaped creature landed forcibly on the ground, shaking the earth beneath them with his weight, which made everyone else stumble around a bit to restore their balance. This creature, no doubt about it, had to be none other than the infamous boogeyman Oogie Boogie!

Noir cringed when she got a look at the fiend. "Is this him? No wonder he's such a disgusting creature."

Oogie Boogie simply cackled in delight. "Looks like my luck's finally turned around for the better! I've been looking for that potion all day. You, doll-face, gave me a lot of trouble making a mess of the town – made the Heartless look like a bunch of morons, too, looking through the trash you left behind. How would I have ever guessed that you had it all along? Now, give me the potion!"

"No! You can't use it!" Sally refused adamantly, backing away from the fiend.

Honestly, Riku had to give a lot of points for effort to Sally in this situation. Despite not being a fighter like him and Noir, he had to admire her courage to try and oppose Oogie's demands regardless of how much danger this puts her in. She even had the guts to attempt to prevent the boogeyman from getting hold of the potion by any means possible for her to come up with, even if all it does is delay the inevitability that the freak would be able to find it and seize it for his own gains.

However, Oogie had no patience for her whatsoever, and decided to take matters into his own hands – and not in the most honorable of ways.

"Playing hard to get, are ya?" the boogeyman said impatiently, "Alrighty, then, I'll just have to raise the stakes, won't I? Give it here!"

Then, without warning, Oogie Boogie charged right towards Sally, meaning to grab the potion from her by force. Riku and Noir moved in to try and stop him from hurting her; but when they had gotten in close enough to strike at him, the boogeyman slapped Riku over to the side, sending him sliding across the ground, while Noir was knocked down to the ground like an unstable stone statue that got shoved forcefully. This left Sally in a defenseless position when the boogeyman closed in on her – but rather than just take the potion, he grabbed her up while she was still holding on to the potion! To her credit, she tried her hardest to beat Oogie into setting her free, but it's like hitting a pillow with extra thick stuffing.

Oogie laughed triumphantly as he exclaimed, "Ha-ha-ha-ha! This is a treat, ain't it? What'd be the fun in just taking the potion right here and now? Oh, don't worry. I promise the next game will begin once I've gotten a taste of the potion. But we need to make sure the company arrives to join the party." He turned to Riku and Noir as they recovered their footing. "I've got a fun little game night going on at my mansion, and you're both invited! You'd better hurry, though, because the ragdoll's luck will run out if you don't join me. So long, chumps!"

With his dirty business finished for the time being, Oogie Boogie hopped away with a captive Sally in tow, leaving Riku and Noir to pick up the pieces after the disastrous visitation that happened just now.

"Noir, we've gotta go after that sack of bugs!" Riku exclaimed, "If he uses that potion, who knows what he's gonna do to Sally?"

"What if that's exactly what he's expecting?" Noir asked, a little uneasy about the situation, "He might have Sally prepared as bait, or worse, he would have a death trap waiting for us before we even get to her."

"Then we'll just have to spring the trap," he answered like the solution is easy.

Somehow, she had a feeling he would say that. If anything, the best way to understand their situation is that they're pretty much in a lose-lose situation – either they don't help Sally and Oogie gets to wreak havoc with the potion, or they go to his mansion and possibly get caught in a trap as well as face the consequences of the boogeyman using the potion on himself. There's just no third option right now, if there ever was any.

"I guess you're right. In that case, we'd better hurry," Noir agreed.

* * *

Luckily for them, Oogie left behind a convenient trail for them to follow, suggesting that he had been running long and hard through the forest, leaving deep footprints in the barren earth as he fled the scene of the crime. The trail led them to a wide pit where a poorly constructed house rested in the middle, its only connection being a rickety old bridge leading into the building; pipes stuck out every which way, and several smaller bridges interconnected with what looked to be dilapidated rooms sparsely separated from each other. From afar, it didn't seem like there would be a way to enter the lair of the kidnapper, and the bridge across implied that there's only one way in and one way out.

"Where did he go?" Noir wondered aloud, afraid they've lost Oogie's trail.

Although it was faint, Riku could barely make out the boogeyman's guttural laughing from somewhere below their positions, and Sally having some not-so nice things to say to her kidnapper afterwards. That means he's hiding somewhere within his abode, and he likely has Sally being held prisoner within his vicinity; they just need to figure out where they're located within the crooked shack.

He gestured for Noir to follow as he said, "Follow me. I think I hear them."

As they crossed the bridge, the voices became clearer to hear until they reached the middle of the bridge, where a rope leading downward to an unused elevator hung nearby a barred hole down below. Thinking that this might give them another route to where Oogie Boogie is holing himself up, Riku started climbing down the rope with Noir following not too far behind him, allowing them to drop down just enough to reach the bars; that was when Riku found a clever use for his Soul Eater, using the blade as a leverage against the bars and prying the whole thing open so that they can creep through the opening, allowing them to slip their way through the small space without being noticed for a good few minutes at most.

And just so lucky for them, the hole opened up to a small tunnelway led them straight to the lair of Oogie Boogie, where he had Sally trapped aboard a giant roulette wheel, his malicious machinery masquerading as add-on gambling toys preventing her from escaping him. It didn't seem like there's anything dangerous surrounding the roulette wheel, save for the boiling liquid substance bubbling around in the center, so Riku and Noir made their charge to the wheel and readied themselves for a confrontation with the monstrous overblown potato sack.

"Game's up, Oogie! What'd you do with the potion?" Riku demanded.

"What are you talking about? What potion?" Oogie tried to play dumb, but failing horribly.

But Noir knew he was lying. "Spare us the trouble, and give it up. Sally said it is a dangerous thing to mess with. If you know what's good for you, you'll hand it to us and let us return it where it belongs."

Oogie Boogie simply gave a loud 'pfft' like he doesn't care. "Oh, please! What's the point of making something if you don't get to try it out? Besides, it's not like I'd just chug the whole thing down and go crazy or anything like that. I'd be a dead man if I dared to –"

Just as he started spilling the beans to them, Oogie suddenly stopped short and clapped his flimsy hand to his mouth, shutting himself up a little too late. But it was when he stepped on something fragile that the lie became exposed fast. Riku and Noir looked down toward the boogeyman's feet, and spotted a bottle broken from being stepped on – and what was supposed to be inside the bottle to begin with was completely gone! Sally's horrified face confirmed exactly what they were thinking – Oogie consumed the potion as soon as he returned to his home. Noir looked over to Sally, fearing what the ragdoll had to say about it.

"Did he do this?" she asked, fearing the worst.

"He did…" Sally replied, backing away in fear. "It's happening…"

Riku glared at Oogie menacingly and asked, "You thought you could just cover your tracks? In that case, you did a terrible job of it."

"What? Are you saying that I'm dead for my trouble?" Oogie Boogie replied, his blank sockets emitting a dangerous gleam as he shrank away from them. But then, as he backed farther away, he aimed his foot toward something below him. "Then I'll just have to make sure you and your witch are… ** _double dead_**!"

As soon as he slammed his foot down, Riku and Noir suddenly heard bits of machinery grinding away below them until – with one spring – one of the boards of the roulette wheel launched up like a catapult, sending them flying across the room into a caged platform blocked by spiked rails. Oogie's sadistic laughing could be heard as he jogged his way to their positions, and settled comfortably atop another platform guarded by a spiked gate, laughing and dancing around like a maniac on a euphoric high. If there's one way to best describe what is going on with Oogie, it's that the freak's maliciousness escalated into a drug trip, and the potion is working its way into the boogeyman's brain – if he even had a brain to begin with.

"C'mon, pup! Show me what tricks you've got up your sleeve!" Oogie taunted ruthlessly.

That irked Riku a lot. Did that sack of bugs just call him a pup!? Where he's standing, the creep is acting like no better than an undisciplined bully gone out of control.

"Really? I thought you're a gambler, not a dog trainer!" Riku mocked back at him, "C'mon, try raising the stakes, huh? Place your bets, I dare you!"

Now, it was Oogie's turn to get riled up – and not in the best way. "You want me to raise the stakes? I'll raise the stakes, alright – to skewer you!"

From there, the notorious boogeyman pushed another button nestled by his side – but this time, he sprung forth an assortment of lethal traps inside the arena. Saw blades emerged from the holes in the floor, buzzing and scraping against the metal gratings, forcing Riku and Noir to stay on their toes constantly so as to not have a brutal amputation. If that weren't enough, Oogie pressed yet another button that dropped down mechanical arms with knives that swiped around the area, making it difficult to navigate the area without risking losing their head or limbs. It's almost like this gambling boogeyman came well-prepared for any pesky troublemakers that dared to enter his territory – and this time around, he's in the best of mood to kill them off by any means that he deems necessary.

"I should've remembered how the sack of bugs plays," Riku grumbled in displeasure.

"Where I'm standing, his tricks are too dangerous to my liking," Noir admitted as she hid by the corner.

Interestingly, while the two were forced to put up with the booby traps triggered by the gambling ghoul, Oogie Boogie doesn't seem to be doing much else to them; if anything, all he's doing is having a ball with himself as he bides his time waiting for them to get killed off. Well, not if they have anything to say about it!

Noir, thankfully, had an idea quickly form. "Riku, if I take care of the traps around us, can you take the fight to Oogie himself?"

"I like that plan," Riku agreed, eager to get out of this hellhole.

Using what limited space she had, Noir acted quickly and summoned several Dark Hands to grab at the knives swinging around, holding them in place long enough to leave an opening toward Oogie's platform; with only the saw blades to worry about, all Riku had to do was watch his footing as he hopped about the board until he got close enough to the gratings blocking the path to Oogie Boogie. However, the boogeyman saw what was going on and, desperate to get rid of the pesky interlopers, tried to sabotage them with one more trick up his sleeve – dice blocks that blinked like ticking time bombs about to go off!

"Away you go, bozos!" Oogie guffawed loudly.

When the dice blocks came his way, Riku simply knocked them out of the arena, sending them scattering elsewhere to explode; even better, Noir fared better as soon as her Hands destroyed the mechanisms holding the knives. Fearing for his life, Oogie instantly switched from murder to cowardice as he made an effort to escape as fast as he could; but it was to no avail as soon as Riku swung himself over the railings and chased the sentient sack down until he found an opportunity to cut apart the stitches along his chubby limbs. From there, the boogeyman began panicking as he tried to hold himself together, the insects leaking out like blood from a grievous wound.

"Gah! Look what you've done!" he cried in horror.

"Oh, it's about to get a lot worse," Riku retorted, "Much worse."

While Oogie was preoccupied holding the hole together, Noir took the free time to break apart the railings blocking the path and launch the knives at the boogeyman, pinning him down long enough for Riku to move in and tear him apart with his blade, letting the bugs and creepy crawlies escape from every hole until only one squeaking crawler with the freaky eyes came out and tried in vain to escape – that is, until one of Noir's Dark Hands smashed it into paste with a swing of a fist.

"Disgusting creature…" she could be heard mumbling in repulsion, "This is the last time I'm dealing with bugs."

Riku couldn't help snorting at the humorous complaint; for a woman, she certainly was acting like a little girl over something petty as a bug. But at least they don't have to deal with Oogie Boogie again, though that meant the potion is gone for good. What is Sally going to be able to do with that knowledge in mind?

* * *

"I'm sorry about all this," Sally apologized deeply as they left the manor, "After he brought me to his lair, he snatched the potion from me and drank it all. After that, his already horrible character grew worse – and it made him try to kill you both."

Riku turned to her, baffled at her persistent apologies. After everything that happened regarding dealing with Oogie Boogie and the fiasco behind the hazardous potion, he couldn't believe that Sally still felt horrible for what almost led to a disaster in Halloween Town when it really wasn't her fault to begin with. Whether it was because she had hyperawareness of her environment or because she had a period of paranoia after discovering Oogie's intentions, he had no idea, but what he did know for sure is that her efforts to throw the Heartless and Oogie Boogie off the scent are unmistakably well-intentioned.

"What's there to apologize about? It was Oogie Boogie that made trouble in town," he replied to her, "and he made it worse by meddling with something he wasn't supposed to. You said yourself the potion was a danger to everyone."

Noir nodded in agreement. "Indeed… If we hadn't come here when we did, I'm sure that monster's depravity would've escalated to the point of being destructive to anyone who crossed him. Still…it is disturbing to think that what already made Oogie Boogie a sadistic coward grew into psychopathy with no shred of remorse. It's almost like something in that potion fed on his vices and mutated it into something monstrous."

Now that is something Riku couldn't help agreeing on, mostly because he's already been there, but thankfully his troubles were not to the same level as any of the villains he's hung around with. All the same, the experiences he's going through now are reminding him of what manner of trouble he brought on himself, what he could've lost completely, and what the stakes are in order to break away from what he had nearly slipped into. The events he and Noir went through with Captain Hook, the armored Heartless, and Hades are more proof that he wants to prove to Ansem that he's not going to fall in the same trap he last got caught in.

"Well…I guess I'll have to figure out what to tell the doctor later," Sally sighed, knowing that her own trouble is around the corner.

"You'll figure something out. Either way, he'll have to know that Oogie is the cause behind the problems," Riku reassured her confidently, "Besides, wouldn't he be more upset if a pesky neighbor gave his experiments trouble rather than someone closer to home?"

When he least expected it, Sally gave a friendly pat on his head as she gave a sweet, thankful smile.

"You're right. I'll think of something," she agreed wholeheartedly.

"Then I suppose we'll have to part ways now," Noir sensed that it is about time to depart from town.

"Yes, unfortunately," Sally replied, "But…I'm grateful for your help, both of you. I wish you both the best."

With a small, respectful bow, Sally began making her way back to town so that she could come clean with everything that happened. Riku and Noir are, for the moment, left alone to make their departure out of this world. But as they did, though, there was one nitty gritty detail that prodded into Riku's head after all the suspense they've gone through, and it was something that he recalled earlier when they first arrive in town…

"…Did she seriously just pet me?" he asked out of the blue.

At first, Noir didn't understand what he was talking about. But when she remembered how she felt tempted to pet him because of his canine elements, she couldn't hold back a giggle because she had wanted to do that at her own time, but it seemed Sally beat her to it. The most Riku could do is give her a frustrated pout as he could do nothing about what happened, since the deed was already done.


	24. Chapter 23: Divided Minds

**Well, I'm pretty sure you guys know where this is going.**

 **Since the third round against the replica was a bit short, and this chapter felt way too short to just have the confrontation (well, aside from the little banter from the bad guys, Axel pending before we know what happens after), I added more to it since I wanted to have a little more words in this chapter.**

 **But I gotta tell you, writing the part where Sora gets in a hissy fit and runs off with an uncapped temper was just painful to get through. Honestly, it's mainly in THIS game that I wish I could give him a slap in the face. Please tell me I'm not the only one, I beg you!**

 **But anyways, I finally got this chapter finished. I might as well pat myself on the back for that.**

 **So, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To The Ever-Dreaming Kitten: The most reason I chose a werewolf for Riku was because, to my knowledge, there were some artists that imagined his Halloween Town costume to be this. I chose to just roll along with it. :p Also, glad you love that brick joke at the end.**

 **To Light Seeker 001: I had honestly never heard of a Haunted Mansion video game. Thanks! I watched the whole walkthrough on YouTube, and dare I say, it never crossed my mind to put in something coming from a park attraction. But then again, I never said anything against park attractions in my guideline of qualifiers. And I'll admit, the game itself has some impressive materials I could work with. Perhaps I could do my homework on the original mansion ride and see what I could add to make the world experience more interesting. Perhaps I could incorporate the game adaptation into my work, and I could figure out the scenario for that world.**

 **To Guest: Hmm...I'm not sure about adding Big Hero 6, given the announcements of its debuting in KH3. I'll probably consult my inspiration assistant about it, and see whether it is workable. Now, regarding matters of sequence of events, don't worry. Once I've gotten past the debacle with the islands and the replica and that blond sadistic b***h Larxene, I'll get to Lexaeus as soon as I can. Promise.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 23: Divided Minds

Just as Larxene and Marluxia had been watching the events that transpired in the card-world Vexen had set up with Sora and Luna, Axel returned to their meeting ground, his objective completed despite the fact that there were witnesses (not that he's worried about it). Impressed by the dirty work, the blond sadist couldn't help giving an amused smirk at the pain he had caused to Vexen without a twinge of guilt.

"Nice work," she complimented with glee, "I say good riddance to that blabbermouth."

But Axel kept his focus on the pink-head in front of him, suspecting something a little out of place after he had gone through with the assassination.

"Marluxia…You used Vexen to test Sora and Luna's strength, didn't you?" Axel interrogated him.

"Not just Sora's and Luna's. It was yours, too," Larxene answered for him. "We weren't sure if you had it in your bones to take out a fellow member." She wormed her way over to her comrade and put a hand on his shoulder, to his annoyance. "Well, I guess that you did. It's time to join up. Taking over the Organization would be like child's play with the three of us."

Axel was able to put two and two together by this point. "That's where Sora comes in."

"Of course," Larxene replied like he's speaking the obvious, "He wants to see Namine, so why not just give him what he wants?"

But then, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Where does it leave Luna, though? What's her part in all this?"

She shrugged like she doesn't care. "Who knows? Given her mental faculties, we're gonna have to keep working on breaking her until she cracks – unless there's someone who could speed up the process, that is."

Marluxia, pleased at the progression of events concerning Sora and Luna, turned to Namine as she remained huddled in her corner. She had to have heard everything about them, which means it's only a matter of time before he gets what he wants. So, why not make sure the ball is still rolling while there's still a chance?

"Rejoice, Namine. The time is near to meet your sister and the hero you've been longing for," he taunted her.

Namine, however, didn't share the same thoughts as he did. Sora and Luna are heading into something dangerous, and they don't even know it – unless if Luna can figure it out before it gets any worse. Even then, she felt sick at having been forced to swallow the bitter medicine of lies that she was forced to create, thus ruining everyone who has never met her before, taking away something that is more valuable to them. She really, really wanted to either say nothing just to spite them, or to say something – anything – that would be hurtful towards her captors, even if it puts her at risk as well as everyone else in the castle.

But she couldn't do it, not with them hanging around watching her.

She could only reluctantly, reply, "I'm…glad."

"But I'm warning you. You'd better not do anything to betray Sora's feelings," Larxene warned, thinly veiling a threat, "or your sister's familial bonds. Do you understand me, little one?"

"I understand," Namine replied. But in her head, she thought bitterly, _'You should've said that to your other pawn!'_

"All you need to do is layer their memories, and bring their hearts closer to you," Marluxia instructed like it should be an easy job.

Marluxia and Larxene left the room in flashes of darkness, leaving only Namine and Axel the only people left in the room. Though, it's not like she cared about whoever is still with her. A lot more issues are running through Namine's head. The two are getting closer, and she knows it too well; not helping her situation is that the operative, who they've spoken about less and less as time goes on, is still leading them on this wild goose chase. She felt herself being trapped in an impossible lose-lose situation, and whichever way things go, she's not going to be able to get what they convinced her to believe she wants. No – what is the point of trying to be their friend if she makes them think of her through her powers?

She looked down at the drawing on her sketchbook, and asked sadly, "Sora…Luna…even if you both come for me – what then?"

Unbeknownst to her, since Axel was still in the room with her, he actually overheard the difficult question she asked herself. He didn't expect to notice self-awareness coming out of the girl ever since they picked her up and began using her; but then again, since the main subject matter has always been Sora and Luna, he wondered if, somewhere down the line, she started to develop a conscience as she meddled with their memories. Now that's something he doesn't think Marluxia and Larxene ever considered at any point.

* * *

After the confusion of exploring an unfamiliar territory and the horror of witnessing the slaughter of someone who was associated with the people in the black coats, this would've been a good opportunity for Sora and Luna to reassess what they've gone through just now. But the opportune window was completely shut when the party saw Riku once again, and it doesn't appear to be that he's let up after their previous encounters. Not helping matters is that when Luna got close enough to him, he pulled her over to his side, not giving Nero the chance to retrieve her. Sora, on the other hand, was surprised that he's here now, and he's not dismissing his blade at the first chance – he just wants to have his old buddy back.

"Riku!" Sora tried to approach him.

But Riku stopped him there with a hard warning. "You'll hurt Namine and Luna if you go further."

That didn't make any sense on Luna's account. What has Sora ever done to hurt her? He's been trying to help her proceed through Castle Oblivion, doing his very hardest to help her find Riku and get him back while searching for a friend that he was missing at the same time. If anything, it's the people in the black coats that have been giving her and her companions a rough time since they arrived.

Even Sora didn't like what he was hearing. "You still want to fight? But Vexen's gone, so now you're free!"

"It doesn't matter what happens to him," Riku interrupted him, "I'm protecting Namine and Luna from you. That's what's in my heart." He paused, holding Luna's hand tighter as he looked over at her. "Sora, I made a promise to Namine. I promised…I'd keep her and Luna safe."

Luna turned to him, curious on what he knew. "Really…? What happened?"

This baffled Sora. "You did?"

"Gee, I wonder why," Medea deadpanned. "It must be important enough that you'd get grabby on Luna the first few times."

Donald and Goofy had no words, but they looked at each other in confusion, as both of them had no words about what was going on between their friends and Riku. They know that Nero still has some unexplained issues with Riku, and they know that Sora is the target of opposition by someone who was his best friend; Medea hasn't been made an enemy since she hasn't directly confronted him as of yet, though who would know at this point?

Nero glared at his nemesis and asked, "What promise?"

Riku glared at Nero for a moment, but then he turned back to Sora, completely dismissing that there was someone else who is having problems with him; from there, he recounted a memory that he had regarding Namine, but with something…different than what others had heard otherwise.

"There was this meteor shower…this one night when they and I were little," Riku recalled, "Namine got scared, clutching to Luna and said, 'What if a shooting star hits the islands?' So I told her: 'If a shooting star comes this way, I'll protect you both!'"

Luna had no idea what to think of it. "I actually was at the island? But then, why did Sora say that…"

"You made a promise! With a toy sword!" Sora put two and two together on where this is going.

Riku raised a brow, baffled. "What… How do you know about that?"

"Because…that was the promise I made to her that night!" Sora answered, so certain he was in the right, "I would protect her! I said it!"

"Don't lie! You weren't the one there that night!" Riku argued.

"You're the one that wasn't there!" Sora snapped. "That was when she gave her good luck charm to ME!"

Now it is Riku's turn to get confused. "Her what?!"

Sora pulled out the charm from his pocket and showed it. "See?"

Shocked by this, Riku asked, "Tell me…where did you get that?"

Before anyone could give an explanation, Riku suddenly had a convulsion of pain in his head, causing him to stumble a little bit as he clutched his head like he's feeling a migraine. Luna immediately hurried to support him, thinking that he might be hurt, regardless of the fact that Nero is within sight watching her help her friend. After a moment, it can be seen that he recovered himself, taking the support of the girl nearby – but the conflict he appeared to be having moments before seemed to have vanished completely.

A dark chuckle came out of Riku. "Sora…good try." He reached behind him to pull out an eerily familiar trinket. "That must be a fake. I've got the real one right here!"

To the shock of everyone in the hallway, the charm that Riku pulled out and presented is just like the one Sora has in his possession! The star shape, the chain, everything to the last detail – it's exactly the same. Nobody had an idea how such thing is possible, let alone how on earth he has his own when Sora's been carrying it around on his person. Was this all a trick of their eyes, or is there something paradoxical going on that they don't know about?

"Wha –" Sora fumbled his words, dumbfounded, "TWO of them!?"

But Riku is already armed and ready to strike against Sora. "Fakes should be destroyed!"

"Fakes? You're the one who's a fake!" Nero retorted as he joined in the fight.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Luna protested, her distress suddenly returning to her.

But any attempt to desist the fight was futile by this point. Sora and Riku are at each other's throats yet again, and Nero jumped right into the middle of it on his own. Just like those last few times they've encountered him, Donald and Goofy felt powerless to calm the feud, more so because these fights – as far as they're able to understand – are a lot more personal than the last battles they've gone through. They don't even understand why Sora has gotten more frenzied over chasing Namine recently. Weren't there other people they've been searching for? It almost felt like he's losing his focus under the influence of those people in the black coats.

The same thing can also be said for Luna, and her Guardian, watching this whole thing, knows this. She's been asking questions about everything going on in the castle, but now she doesn't know what to do or what to think of it all. Axel vaguely implied something about their memories, Larxene taunted them with information regarding Namine, and Vexen has been implying there's something bigger going on than simply finding Namine before he was roasted into oblivion. And that's not even getting into what she's been hearing from Zexion; he – as well as Larxene and Vexen – have indicated that they've known her before, with Zexion specifically explaining that she vanished nine years ago and they had tried to find her. She couldn't shake off the feeling that there's something else she has forgotten, and it's not something to do with Namine. The missing memories are something else entirely, or else she wouldn't even be wandering about here trying to find answers.

"Why…? Why is this happening?" Her questions to herself made her distressed. "Why are they fighting each other like this? Is this castle making everything we've known fall apart? Why? Why?"

With the remaining companions, a debate formulated between them about the current situation in front of them. Despite being trusted buddies, they really wanted the fighting to stop right now, as they don't want to waste more time trying to get through the castle and find a way out of here. It became clear to them that something needs to be done about those boys, but they need a good solution right away, or else those boys are just going to make more trouble.

"Don't ya think things are gettin' a bit out of control?" Donald questioned out of the blue.

"Tell me about it. All three of those boys are getting on my nerves already," Medea growled, gritting her teeth irritably.

"Then should we do somethin' about it?" Goofy asked worriedly.

While the debating and the stressing are going on from the sidelines, a lot of chaos has been unleashed in the three-way fight between the boys. However, it seemed that Sora and Riku are too focused on battling each other to know there's another party member involved in the fray, while Nero has been pushed back more times than not due to Riku's strong concentration on eliminating Sora at any cost. Nero actually noticed this, though, and did his hardest to pull double duty on jumping into the middle of the fray regardless of his current position as the third wheel opponent.

However, in the midst of the fights, there were instances of rebuttals bounced back and forth between them. In Sora and Riku's case, their argument can be heard regarding their contradicting memories of that important night – but there were some instances where other little details were argued over, and a few of them concerned Luna's part in this. And Nero certainly was not shy about throwing in his interjections on the matter, despite the fact that he still has a target on his back for meddling in the affairs of his 'sister'.

"You're not making any sense!" Sora can be heard insisting to his friend in frustration. "Namine and I were the only ones at the island that night."

"Liar! Luna was there, even though she was still sick," Riku rebuked angrily as he lunged at Sora. "She couldn't stay sheltered forever. I swore with Namine that we would look after her until she's recovered her mind, and I intend to make good on it!"

Just when Sora is about to be pounced on, Nero jumped in and blocked off the attack with his broadsword until enough space is given to them before Riku went in for another opportunity to strike again. But the words to be exchanged were very volatile, to say the least, given the feuding ideas they've had in the last encounters.

"You're talking nonsense! You're just trying to strengthen that ego of yours!" Nero snapped as he prepared to defend himself.

"Oh? And that makes you any better?" Riku retorted as he rapidly struck against the broadsword several times, "How many more lies can you come up with until it comes to bite you? Tell me that!"

"Calling me a liar still!?" Nero growled angrily, breaking away from the attack.

Finally, having grown sick and tired of all the arguing and wanting this pointless feuding to just stop, Medea started feeling that it's about time to take matters into their own hands and do something about those boys once and for all. They've been at each other's throats for too long, and someone among them has to be taught a lesson – and hopefully, somebody will finally get the message that the senseless feuding and bickering is beyond irritating; it's infuriating the hell out of her. But since a Guardian can only do so much by herself, she's gonna have to get her master to snap out of her stress and concentrate on doing something that can calm the storm in the room, even if it betrays what her 'brother' wants from her.

"Alright, I've had enough of this!" she growled in irritation, her eyes dead set on Sora and Riku. She then turned her attention to her master. "Luna, you do something about Nero, and I'll get those boys to shut the hell up once and for all!"

As Medea started readying herself for a charge, Luna snapped out of her distress and recognized that something is going to be done to stop the fight. Immediately, she summoned her Shadow Hands to give chase to Nero and grab him before he went too far with his actions. One by one, each Hand ensnared around him, holding his hands in the middle of his process of raising his sword and trapping his legs in one place so as to prevent him from moving anywhere without her allowing him to.

"Nero, stop it!" Luna ordered, "You can't hurt Riku!"

If there's a certain emotion that nobody anticipated coming from this newcomer, it's the feeling of betrayal. When Nero heard her demand him to stop attacking Riku after she had just detained him with her powers, a sense of shock can be seen on his face; there must be a lot of questions crossing his mind on what she's doing, and why she is actively opposing him despite the fact that Riku is the one acting as the opposition.

On Medea's part, she charged right into the middle of the boys' duel and grounded herself right in between them, bracing for them to come at the middle. Sure enough, both boys were dumb enough to not recognize something entering the middle of the fight, and they moved right into the line of fire. From there, Medea used one of her Black Claws to grab at Sora's keyblade, holding him in place, while she used the other to block the oncoming attack that Riku meant to do to Sora. Then, when both boys least expected it, she pushed Sora away from her personal space, tripping him up and forcing him to recover his footing; then, she turned to Riku and she used the strength of her other arm to throw him down to the floor in front of her, sending him crashing into the floor.

"Okay, you two! Quit your bickering and get your heads screwed back on already!" Medea demanded furiously, "Someone come clean about themselves, or one of you is gonna get a pummeling from me!"

But that didn't happen because, as soon as he recovered himself from the Guardian's abrupt interference, Riku suddenly ran off without a word. In the process, he dropped his trinket; the very bauble that he claimed is the real deal. Because of this, all of the people in the room are finally able to cool themselves down and focus on what's going on in the now. Everyone gathered around the charm he dropped, wondering about where he got ti and why he had it to begin with.

"Isn't that Namine's good luck charm?" Donald asked.

"It's just like mine," Sora noticed how too alike it is upon picking it up. "How'd he get this?"

"I wish I knew…" Luna admitted sadly.

Then, without warning, the trinket suddenly flashed into bright light, stunning everyone as its glow shined and then dimmed down just as quickly. When they regained their eyesight, the party was surprised to find that the bauble Riku had in his possession became another card. But this time, the card had the image of a bright, colorful island surrounded by ocean waters blanketed by a warm light that emanated from high above the island. The image of the palms and the great tree standing in the middle of the larger island, and the bridge connecting to the smaller isle with a special palm tree brought back nostalgia to both Sora and Luna as they gazed upon it.

"It turned into a card!" Goofy exclaimed in surprise.

"No kidding it turned into a card," Medea replied sarcastically, "I'd bet anything that it was an illusion from the get-go."

"Then why'd he have it with him?" Donald wondered.

"I don't understand what's going on here either," Luna said, upset at the complications brought by everything, "It's like something's being set up under our noses, but I don't even know what is being set up at all."

Nero had nothing to say on the matter, since his mind had already wandered away after the interrupted third fight because of what he experienced. His mind was still in shock at the bold defiance Luna gave when she stopped him from continuing his fighting against Riku, and he had trouble processing why she did so and why she still held a candle to him despite how he was acting around everyone else. Too many questions crossed his head all at once, but at least two in particular ask the questions that he can't find an answer to: What is it about Riku that Luna holds so dearly? What does Riku have that he is sorely lacking?

Sora, compelled by the confounded confusion surrounding the contradicting memories, made haste to the next staircase without telling any of the others what he's doing. He just felt more desperate than ever to seek out Namine and finish things inside the castle for good, and he didn't want something as dubious as his friend's memory stopping him from finding her as soon as possible.

"Aww…I don't understand what's going on…" Donald sighed, having wrapped up talking with the others.

"Let's just keep moving, okay?" Sora demanded, "It doesn't matter."

Medea glared at him harshly. "Excuse me? What do you mean, it doesn't matter?"

"Medea's right. It DOES matter. How can two of you have the same memory?" Donald insisted. "You can't both be right."

Hearing this, Sora grew angry. "I'm wrong? Fine, then don't believe me!"

"That's not what he meant," Goofy clarified, "We're just kinda worried."

"Then let's ask Namine! That should clear it up," Sora pressed them, "Look, we don't have time to sit around. So let's GO."

Between the parties involved, Donald, Goofy, Luna and Medea looked at each other in disbelief at how Sora is currently acting about their situation. It just didn't feel right to them. How could he be getting so impatient to find Namine that he isn't willing to just listen to any possible reasoning or slowing down to think over what they've experienced before while they're still able to do so? It's like he's forgotten his initial reason for coming into the castle in the first place, and it's disturbing them greatly.

"Sora, what happened to ya?" Goofy asked worriedly.

"What's THAT mean?!" Sora snapped angrily.

"Well, ya always get touchy when it comes to stuff about Namine…" Goofy replied in concern, "But before we came into this castle, you didn't even remember what her name was."

"Now Namine's the only thing you talk about," Donald added.

"It doesn't make sense," Goofy concluded, "Maybe you should just slow down and think ahead about some of these things."

Sora did not like what he's hearing in the slightest. "Think ahead? What is the matter with you guys? Do you want me to abandon her?!"

Donald was in shock at this. "No, that's not it –"

"Then do whatever you want!" Sora's temper broke loose. "You can lay back and take a nap for all I care! I'M going to find Namine!"

His temper finally unleashed, Sora ran up the stairs in a huff, leaving Donald and Goofy helpless to stop him from running away from them.

Luna and Medea, though, were shocked at the one-sided tension that left two of their companions to suffer backlash at someone they just wanted to help. However, on Luna's part, her shock is more from horror and disbelief at the betrayal that her own friend caused; Medea's, though, is more of outrage at Sora's irrational mindset alongside her anger at his quickness to abandon what he had held dearly to after everything they've gone through. This just felt too much for them to handle.

Fearing for Sora's life, Donald turned to Luna and pleaded, "You gotta do something, Luna. He won't listen to us now."

She, in all honesty, had no idea how to approach such a task. "How could I? My memories are both missing and messed up, and some of them are locked away from me. How can I reason with Sora if he only wants to find Namine?"

"Well, it seems like Sora's been forgetting important things since we got here," Goofy speculated, "and I think some of them involve promises made. So… maybe if there's a promise you still remember, you can remind him of that?"

"It's probably gonna hard to nail that into his head," Medea grumbled, "but since we ladies are the only ones here with our heads screwed on straighter than him, we're gonna have to try."

By that time, Nero finally regained his voice and said, "Do what you have to. So long as he can still get through the castle, nothing else should matter, right?"

"Luna! Nero! What are you two waiting for? Hurry up!"

At Sora's impatient call, Luna recognized that he's already reached the top of the stairs, and he must've just now realized that the rest of the party is not following along with him. Though, she had a sneaking feeling he's going to have a lot to answer for with forgetting that Medea is among them, too. After all, she's quite sure Medea will have something to say to him as soon as she's within his hearing range, and the words are not going to be pleasant, most likely.

"Okay, now he's starting to grind my gears," Medea growled.

Luna sighed sadly. "I guess there's no other way around it, is there? We'll have to try to speak with him. Though, it will be hard to reason with him unless…"

Her thoughts suddenly trailed off when she remembered the sight of the girl back in the town covered in twilight, how she pleaded to her to find the truth –

Wait.

Find the truth.

Perhaps if she goes to the memory of the island, then maybe she can use that in order to find the truth the girl wants her to find so desperately. This could be her last chance to get to the bottom of this mess, and uncover what's been hidden from them since the beginning of their ascent through Castle Oblivion. Perhaps if she located Namine, she can get the answers from her, and not stop until she confesses everything to them, however painful the truth might be. Perhaps she might be able to convince Nero to come clean about his memories so that she can properly judge whether he meant ill or nil on her since their first meeting. It's not going to be so simple, since she'll be reentering the memories of the islands, but she had to try, for her own sake as well as Sora's…

"If I want to find the truth, I'll have to speak with Namine," she finally decided.

Nero looked at her, confused. "Wait…what? Find the truth? What do you mean by –"

But he was too late to get any answers because Luna had already begun heading up the stairs; though she still carries the hurt shown visibly to everyone, something else also motivated her to keep going.

"Well, I know as soon as we're up there, I'm giving that brat a piece of my mind," Medea said as she followed her master up the stairs, eager for a little payback.

* * *

While the whole debacle was going on down below, Axel approached Namine, who is still seated alone, wallowing in the misery of the trouble that is on the horizon. Sora and Luna are on their way, and now there's no knowing what will happen once they use that card and enter the memory of that world. She really didn't want to be there to know what the results will be, seeing as trouble would come to her if she went against all Marluxia wanted her to do.

"They're all you've got left," Axel spoke to her. "So, then, if you don't stop this, no one will."

A horrified gasp escaped Namine's mouth. That means Sora and Luna are already getting closer, and now they're about to bite at the bait. But what could she do? She's already messed with their memories. Though, she wanted to think there is still a chance for Luna. She had barely been able to reach her, but she wasn't sure if she ever understood what she was talking about. For all she knew, her warning might have been too late.

"But I… It's too late," she answered glumly.

"You shouldn't give up just yet," Axel insisted.

When it seemed like nothing got through the girl's mind, the redhead started to walk away, but then abruptly stopped to look around the room. With a knowing look on his face, a little idea crossed his mind; something that he figure she wasn't paying close attention to as she should've been after the last meeting…

"Say, Namine," he then said to her, "Have you noticed? Marluxia doesn't seem to be around."

Baffled, yet at the same time curious, Namine looked up. "What are you…saying?"

"Just that there's no one in here who would want to get in your way," Axel replied vaguely.

That was when it hit her: nobody's here to make her sit around and do nothing. What's more, Axel's not trying to do anything to keep her in submission.

Feeling a spark of courage ignite inside her, Namine realized that she now has the ample opportunity to get out of his confinement and do something to save Sora and Luna from falling into Marluxia's intended trap. Feeling like there's nothing to stop her now, she immediately bolted for the door, hoping that there's still time for her to intervene.

"Just make it count," Axel warned her as she disappeared out the door.

As soon as she was gone, a smirk crossed the fiery assassin's face. He couldn't believe how things have been going so far. If anything, it felt like all that he's been doing to move things along was just too easy for him. All he had to do was pull a few threads, and then something will happen that not even someone as brilliant as Marluxia would be able to anticipate, let alone expect to happen. It felt almost euphoric to play around with everyone who is involved inside this castle, just to see what they're willing to do when pushed, and just how far they're willing to go to get what they want.

"Now THIS should be interesting," he mused to himself, "Try and make it enjoyable, you two. It's the least you can do for me, you know."

He started chuckling to himself in amusement at all the performances being given out by everyone in the castle. But then, he abruptly stopped himself when he realized what he had just done. Was he laughing? For real? He couldn't believe it for one second. To his knowledge, Nobodies aren't supposed to feel any real emotions, and yet here he is, laughing at the people he had been around. How was this possible?

"Hey, wait," Axel realized, "I'm enjoying this. You guys ARE something else!"


	25. Chapter 24: Unraveling the Lies

**Hello, everyone. Lilith here.**

 **And HOLY FREAKING CRAP, this chapter took a LOT LONGER than I thought it would to write! Since we all knew that the bombshell is on the way, I tried to just get Destiny Islands over with, and just jump right into the big shocker and get that annoying cockroach lady defeated and done with. Yeah, it was that exhausting to deal with!**

 **Also, I've written so many more words than I usually would. I'm surprised my fingers haven't broken from writing strain...**

 **Well, regardless of how freaking long this is, I hope you enjoy all the same.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 24: Unraveling the Lies

By the time Luna, Medea and Nero had arrived up the stairs and caught up with Sora, it's quickly noticeable that Jiminy had just come out of the hood to talk. Apparently, he had heard the arguing that happened, and he must've known that Sora had said some things to Donald and Goofy that didn't sit right with him in the slightest; being the chosen conscience that the cricket is, it makes sense that Jiminy wanted to interject on the matter since he's supposed to be the voice of reason.

"Sora, that was no way to –"

"Keep it to yourself!" Sora snapped angrily.

Unfortunately, he shot down Jiminy before the cricket can chastise him for his behavior. This disappointed the poor cricket as he hopped off of Sora's hood and started to leave back the other way, where Donald and Goofy are certain to be.

Seeing the dismay of Jiminy hurt Luna greatly as she knew he was only trying to set the record straight, but Sora just wasn't acting rationally and it's putting a dent in what he treasured with his friends while obsessing over someone who they haven't known about before they even arrived in the castle to begin with. It got her worrying: would he abandon her and Medea just to keep pursuing that one girl he can't stop obsessing about?

Jiminy's sad sigh stopped her train of thought. "This is terrible…he won't even listen to me. And I've done my best as a conscience since being around Pinocchio."

Luna knelt down to his level and said in consolation, "If it helps, Jiminy, Medea and I will try to keep him out of trouble. Even then, please tell Donald and Goofy to keep following us, no matter what Sora's done. I'm sure he's just not thinking straight now, and he needs help chasing the truth before he loses sight of what's more important."

The cricket felt encouraged by her reassurance. "Well, then, I hope you know what you're doing. I'm counting on you to help him as much as you can, Luna."

As the cricket hopped away to deliver the news as quickly as he could to deliver the message to the others as soon as possible, Nero had already reached the top of the stairs and met up with the girls. He didn't even bother trying to stop Jiminy from leaving to find out what went on between him and Luna; it's like he has no interest in the little details.

However, as soon as Jiminy is gone, the gloves are off for Medea as she prepared to chew out Sora once and for all. She's been one to get into arguments, and there are others she's had to listen to until either the problem's solved naturally or someone had to intervene until a resolution is made, but this time her patience on the boy has worn itself too thin; she's just had enough of this insanity.

"Nice job kickin' out the conscience, Sora. I bet you're feelin' proud for shoving everyone else out of the way so you can chase after some girl you can't shut up about now," Medea said condescendingly.

That got Sora's attention immediately. "Excuse me? What's your problem, Medea?"

Her violet eyes glowered angrily. "What's **_my_** problem? You wanna know what my problem is, kid? My problem is YOU! You've been acting like a complete jackass after that stupid scuffle you got into with Riku over a little bauble, and that same dumb attitude made you act like a selfish brat who can't even try to listen to people with more common sense than you do when the opportunity is right in front of them."

"Are you saying that I'm an idiot for wanting to rescue Namine from –" Sora was about to argue with her, but he wasn't prepared for the bomb to explode.

"I'M NOT DONE YET!" Medea exploded furiously, silencing Sora. "Ever since you started remembering things about that girl, she's been the only thing you just won't shut the hell up about! Seriously! Nowadays it's always Namine, Namine, Namine, Namine, Namine! Well, I'M getting SICK and TIRED of listening to you ranting your ass off about that blondie that we haven't even seen yet! And I sure as hell am beyond disgusted that you're pushing your friends away just for a little blond twit! You've shoved Donald and Goofy away just because they tried to get you to freakin' STOP and THINK! So what are you gonna do now, huh? HUH? Are you gonna try and make me leave just because I'm angry at your stupid attitude or because I don't have the same feelings about someone I don't know?! Are you now gonna abandon Luna just to chase after a damn blond who you kept ranting and raving about after the pummeling that cockroach did a few floors back?! **Answer the damn question** ** _!_** "

At first, Sora completely lost his voice as he was too stunned from Medea's volcanic wrath to give an answer to her pressing questions, let alone make any arguments to her on the important matters that needed to be addressed. It's like she had severely shot down anything he had said as his defense and proceeded to brutally tear apart any walls he could've put up to defend himself and his actions, incinerating nearly every trace of evidence for his motivations.

However, Luna certainly had a lot to worry about when her Guardian made it clear he did something wrong, and it's putting any bonds he still had with her and her protector at risk. If Namine is the only thing he can focus on just to plow through the castle at this point, then where does it leave her? She kept following Sora because she wanted to find Riku and get him back. And she thought she had, but the fights Sora and Riku were having lately made her unsure whether her man was in his right state of mind, or if he was manipulated by other forces. But after everything she's been through, now she's not so sure if Sora can still hold onto her without losing his focus on the girl he's obsessed over. Will he really abandon her, like he just did with Donald and Goofy?

"Is Medea correct on what you're thinking, Sora?" Luna asked sadly, hanging her head as she clutched her arms tightly. "Are you going to abandon me, too? After all you've done to help me – helping through my illness, searching the worlds, and defeating Ansem together?"

Her words stung badly in Sora's heart as he recognized what she was indicating to him. He couldn't believe that Luna feared being abandoned after everything they've been through together. Any anger or restlessness he had felt deflated like a balloon, and guilt quickly replaced both emotions as he realized that she was witness to the arguments that occurred earlier.

"Luna…what are you saying?" Sora asked in uncertainty.

"Don't you remember, Sora? When I was ill, you and Riku promised to take care of me," Luna reminded him, "When we lost our home to the Heartless, you promised to take care of me until we found our friends. You promised we'd get Riku back. Or did you forget about it after you started remembering Namine?" She paused, dropping her arms and turning as though to walk away. "You probably did, didn't you? No wonder Medea is angry at you…"

Horrified at hearing Luna's doubts, Sora instantly hurried over and grabbed her arm, stopping her from reaching the stairs. Surprised though she was at the interference, she quickly noticed the shock and shame on his face from hearing the painful words that came out of her mouth.

"Why would I do that, Luna?" he exclaimed, "Did you seriously think I forgot that promise made in the hospital? I still remember what Riku and I promised: we'll help you get better, and we'll take care of you. We did, and you got better, even though it took you nine years to do it. I did my best to look after you when we were separated from Riku." Once the guilt in his heart took hold, he couldn't stop pleading his case to his friend, the very one he pitched in to help years ago. "Really, how could I abandon you? When I began remembering things about Namine, I didn't want to find her just for my own sake. I wanted you to meet her, too, and maybe be friends with her. I'm sure she would've loved to meet you. I did say that when we found her, you could ask her about anything you want until you can remember more about her, didn't I?"

She nodded. "Yes, you did."

"You see? You haven't forgotten what I promised to you either," Sora pointed out, "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're just confused and lost when trying to remember things you've forgotten. But if you met Namine, maybe talking to her can help you find what you've forgotten. And I'm sure you'd get along with her once you've been around her long enough."

"So…you'll let me and Medea continue going through the castle with you?" Luna asked innocently.

Sora nodded eagerly. "Of course you can! Besides, the next card leads to a familiar place we know well. What could happen?"

Despite the dangerous temptation for things to go smoothly, at least Luna felt relieved to know that Sora hasn't thought about leaving her alone while they're still inside the castle. Truthfully, she couldn't believe that, after Medea's explosion of anger freaking him out, she successfully pulled at his heartstrings enough to convince him into allowing her to keep following him until they've found Namine. But she did promise to keep an eye on Sora on behalf of their friends since they couldn't reason with him; hopefully, Jiminy got her message to them at a reasonable amount of time so that they wouldn't feel without a purpose or a goal to achieve.

Nero, who had heard the whole conversation from the moment he caught up with them, was actually quite surprised to know that Sora accepted their company even after all the trouble he made to his other friends. It made him wonder if Luna had a way to keep the boy wrapped around her finger while she stuck around him, or if Sora's dedication to her care made it easy to prevent him from crossing particular lines that he'd regret later if prodded on.

"Did I…miss something here? Was there an argument earlier?" Nero asked, unsure how to ask the right questions.

"Nah. I was the one who exploded on him," Medea replied shamelessly. "In my defense, I was getting irritated with him, and someone had to put him in his place." Then, she muttered under her breath, "Though, I can't believe my master actually managed to guilt-trip Sora. Must've been something I said to him that made it easy for her to do it without him knowing it…"

Nero couldn't help giving a dumbstruck look when he caught what she just muttered under her breath. Did she actually admit that Luna guilt-tripped Sora into letting her and Medea stick around? Was it because of the arguments between him and Donald and Goofy that the girls had to prod at his behavior and pull some strings to convince him to keep them around? Or was it something else entirely?

"Well, what are we waiting around for? Let's get going!" Sora called from near the door.

Well, it seemed like he's still got the drive to find Namine. But at the very least, as far as the girls are concerned, it should be much easier to get through the next world without having too much tension present among the group – or so they thought.

"Alright, we've fooled around enough," Medea ordered, "Let's get this over with so we can get at those black coated bozos for the hell they gave us."

"I'm a little nervous on what we might find in there," Luna admitted, "I mean…we'll be entering a place Sora and I know well, but what else might we find? That's what I'd like to know."

"Maybe you'll know when we go in there," Nero replied.

By the time everyone assembled at the door, Sora used the card to unlock the way through. The door opened, and all four of them stepped into the bright light to their next destination…

* * *

…When the light died down, Sora and Luna found themselves standing on the sand near a vast blue ocean stretched for miles and beyond. Behind them, palm trees and shrubs and all manner of islandic flora grew around a gigantic tree that stood overshadowed by its relatives; boards of wood were meticulously put together to provide platforms and walkways, even bridges for travel around the island in the safest way possible, and docks for where boats would come for the curious visitor. The atmosphere of the sky is bright and welcoming, like the day is going to be pleasant and tame without any warnings of a possible storm; it helped that the sun above is watching warmly and gently from above the bright blue sky.

"I'm not going crazy, am I?" Sora suddenly asked out of the blue, immediately killing the mood of the scenery.

Luna looked over to Sora and giggled. "If you were going crazy, I don't think you'd be standing here right now. We should know where we are, right?"

"You're right. I know exactly where this is…" Then, he figured it out. "Yeah! This is our island! Where Namine and I used to play together!"

Medea rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Now you're telling me."

But then, it didn't take long for Luna to notice something isn't right, and it's not because of the island. When she looked around, she found that Nero is nowhere to be found. Did they lose him upon arrival, or did he wander off to look around the place?

"Sora, where's Nero?" she asked, puzzled.

He looked around, too, before replying, "I dunno. He couldn't have gone far after we got here."

"Heeeey!"

Any further conversations they would've had are interrupted by the arrival of three new faces – or rather, three young children about their age or below. One is a girl likely younger than Luna by a year or two with brown hair and green eyes wearing a yellow strapped dress. The second is a boy with a wacky red hairdo held by a blue bandanna with a creamy sleeveless shirt and orange pants with an X patterns on each leg. The third is a younger boy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes wearing a short-sleeved jacket and mismatched pants.

The redhead was the first to greet them both. "Whassup, you two!"

"So, whatcha wanna do today?" the girl asked excitedly.

"Hey, guys! Am I glad to see you, um…" Sora tried to greet them back, but ran into a hurdle.

It reminded Luna of the second encounter they had with Riku, when he asked Sora what he remembered about the islanders they had known before. She recalled how Sora ran into a stumbling block, and had trouble putting names on the table. Sure, when she was asked who she still remembered, she was able to bring up her adoptive parents, but if she had gone any further, would she have problems recalling their fellow playmates?

The blond caught on, and asked, "'Uh' what?"

"We got food on our faces?" the redhead added out of jest.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Please, Wakka. Only you can be dumb enough to not notice food stuck on your face."

That got a reaction out him. "Hey, whoa! That's a low blow, ya?"

"I dunno, Wakka. I think Selphie's on the mark," the blond agreed.

"Aw, not you, too, Tidus!"

Now that they got the names of the kids, Sora and Luna finally can properly hold a conversation with them. Maybe they might be able to find out what's going on in this place while they're here.

"Oh, yeah! You're Tidus, Wakka and Selphie, that's who you are," Sora remembered.

When they heard this, the three kids turned to him in confusion, dumbstruck that he didn't recognize them as soon as they met up. If Luna could surmise a guess, the kids are possibly thinking that somebody has their head screwed on the wrong way or something.

"You hit your head?" Wakka asked, baffled.

"No, uh…just thinking aloud," Sora replied quickly.

Tidus turned to Luna and asked, "Hey, Luna, has Sora been distracted lately?"

She shrugged her shoulders, not knowing what to say. "I guess he is. Maybe it's the heat?"

"I know… He's thinking about HER again!" Selphie teased playfully.

It didn't take long for Tidus to figure out what's up. "Ohhh, I get it. Yeah, he's a total zombie when she's on his mind."

"That would explain why he's actin' all funny towards us," Wakka guessed, "Am I right, Luna?"

"I'm not sure about the whole zombie thing," Luna replied, playing along to avert suspicion, "but I guess he's on a one-track mind, and it's hard for even me to keep his head on straight."

Selphie giggled. "I bet you want us to take a hike so that you two can be ALONE, huh?"

"Um…I guess," was the best answer Sora could come up with.

"All right, all right," Selphie said playfully, "We'll disappear for a little while. You go get her, cowboy."

"We'll try to be quiet while we SPY on you!" Tidus joked.

"Hey, Sora's serious. Give the guy some room," Wakka scolded him.

"I'm only kidding!"

Throughout the conversation between the youngsters, Medea simply stayed behind Luna, listening to the banter between them, if only to keep an eye and ear open for anything out of place in this world. From what she's able to see, everything appeared to be normal; but judging from what she's hearing, she's already picking up the signs that Namine is being brought up again. As much as it irritates her now, there's not much she can do by this point. But that didn't mean she can't keep vigil for any trouble.

But then, Luna cut in when she asked the trio, "Oh, there's something I'd like to ask you three. Have either of you seen Nero anywhere?"

Curious, Selphie asked, "Who's Nero?"

"Luna's brother," Sora replied, "He was supposed to be with us. Do you know where he is?"

"Nope. If we saw anyone, we would've told ya," Wakka replied.

That's when Tidus got an idea. "I know! We can look around the island for ya. When we find him, we'll let you know. Mind telling us what he's like first?"

"Well, he's taller than Sora, with black hair, and brown eyes," Luna described in a basic manner.

"Okie-dokie! When we see someone like that walkin' around, we'll find and give you guys a shout, 'kay?" Selphie promised jovially.

Luna felt much appreciated by the help. "Thank you."

With the farewells all taken care of, the kids ran off to lend a hand in the search while Sora, Luna and Medea re left on their own. That didn't bother them too much, since they're on a search of their own.

"C'mon, let's look around. The sooner we find Namine and Nero, the better," Sora suggested.

"And when we do find them, one of us is gonna be grilling for answers," Medea added.

"I just hope we don't have too much trouble while we're here," Luna confessed worriedly.

* * *

Oddly enough, while they've been searching the island, there seemed to be a disturbingly lacking amount of Heartless to bother them. Either someone's being very lenient on them, or someone is purposefully reducing their numbers just so Sora and Luna can make their way to the intended destination. Regardless of it, it also felt rather uncanny to hear the people who played on the island about Namine as well – at least, as far as Luna and Medea are concerned. Something about it just didn't feel right.

"Sora, don't you find it strange that the Heartless here are much fewer than the last world we've been to?" Luna asked on a whim.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. But at least it'll make finding Namine and Nero much easier for us."

"If you ask me, this is all sounding way too fishy for me," Medea commented with skepticism.

Their search throughout part of the island led them toward the path to the elevated islet nestled near the island itself; its only connection is the bridge that connects both places, leading to a small haven where two palm trees grew together, one of which is bent over like it's in a relaxing position. On the other side of the bridge as well is a particular friend Sora and Luna immediately recognize on sight: Riku. As they hurried across the bridge, Riku turned to see them coming, and he didn't seem to be of any danger at all.

"Hey, you two. What's the big rush?" he asked teasingly.

"I know you…" Sora was about to speak.

"Riku!" Luna exclaimed happily as she ran over to hug him, which caught him off guard a moment as soon as she embraced him, but he reciprocated it anyway.

"Wow, Luna, what's gotten into you?" he asked her with a chuckle, "Did you miss me or something?"

"I'm just glad to see you," she answered.

After having encountered the Riku in Castle Oblivion several times and having borne witness to the hostilities against her friend, Luna just felt glad to see the version she remembers more fondly, even if this one is but a figment of memories coming from her and Sora's minds. She might as well savor this while she can before anything terrible occurs.

"Oh, right. You're Riku," Sora finally recalled.

Riku just shook his head as he joked toward Sora, "Gee, thanks for remembering me. Seriously, Luna remembered me faster than you. It's been what, a couple of hours?"

Sora had no idea how to answer that question. He felt ashamed at himself for not thinking of Riku, more so since he is a friend from boyhood that he knew of so well. But after what he's been through, he's not too sure if he's seeing the more familiar Riku, or if it's the one who's been giving him trouble since their first meeting in the castle halls. Luna seemed to be safe, but he didn't want to take chances too much.

"Um…never mind. Are you okay? Are you still under his control?" Sora asked out of caution.

Riku raised a brow at him. "What are you TALKING about?"

Medea, who was listening to the whole debacle, whispered to him. "Hey, it doesn't look like that other version of your pal we've seen earlier. Look at him! He's pretty chill having Luna close to him, and he's acting like he wouldn't hurt a damn fly. What're you gettin' suspicious about, huh?"

Sora knew the Guardian was right. If this really was the Riku who meant harm, he would've had his blade ready somewhere, especially his armor on him.

"I get it…you're the Riku from my memories," he murmured.

But his friend heard that. "'The Riku from my memories'? Sounds like you're stuck in the land of make-believe."

Sora shrugged playfully. "I guess I kind of am."

Riku chuckled. "You're such a kid. How are you gonna take care of HER if you act like that?"

Luna looked at him, perplexed. "You mean…you have nothing against Sora being around her?"

"Why would I? He has his girl, and I've got you," he replied in reassurance, "We're pretty much square, right?"

"Well…there's someone else we're looking for," she explained, "His name is Nero. He's…well, he's supposed to be a relative of mine, but I don't know where he is."

Riku quickly became intrigued. "Really? So you found someone from your family? You should've told me about that sooner, or I would've wanted to know where he is. I've half a mind to greet him myself."

"Hey, speaking of her and Nero –"

Sora was about to ask for his friend's help on knowing where Namine and Nero are since they still haven't found them. But that opportunity fell apart when a sudden quake shook around the islands, starling the four of them as something made the island tremble. Sora stumbled a bit before Medea caught him while Riku held on to Luna as though to protect her. Whatever was causing it must be something dangerous.

"What the hell was that?!" Medea demanded to know.

"What's happening!?" Sora didn't know what's going on.

"How should I know!?" Riku replied. "Whatever it is, it can't be good! I'm gonna go warn the others!"

"I'm gonna go –" Sora was about to speak his intention.

"I know, I know! It's your job to look after her!" Riku interrupted.

"Be careful, Riku! We don't know what's going on!" Luna warned him, worried for his safety.

He gave a confident smile to her. "Don't worry, Luna. I'll be fine." He turned to Sora. "Hey, do me a little favor. Keep Luna safe for me while you find her, okay?"

"Okay!" Sora promised.

"Then let's get a move on already!" Medea ordered to the dawdlers. "We ain't gonna get anything done just standing here!"

Medea was right: they weren't going to be able to do anything about the coming disaster or the cause of it if they don't get moving and find the source of the crisis. As they raced across the bridge, Riku ran in one direction to find the other kids and get them to safety as quickly as he can, while Sora led Luna and Medea in another direction to find Namine and Nero, and hopefully find the cause of the unrelenting earthquakes.

* * *

Their frantic search led them into the middle of a malicious storm circling around another piece of island, with debris of wood and stone swirling about in a ceaseless circular motion. From above, purple clouds blot out the radiant light in the sky, leaving only darkness in the eye of the storm, faint cries of thunder booming out into the distance. They couldn't find anything else that resembled the place they've known, but it certainly felt like an eerily familiar case of déjà vu as to the scale of the problem.

"The island!" Sora exclaimed in shock.

"I hope everybody made it out okay…" Luna worried over the children.

"Let's cross our fingers on that!" Medea agreed, "But right now, we gotta figure out what the hell we're gonna do to get off this piece of rock!"

Unfortunately for them, just before they could think of a way out, a gigantic Heartless emerged onto the crumbling island chunk, menacingly looming over them.

"Oh, look who's here: Mr. Ugly," Medea said sarcastically as she formed her claws, "And he's about due for a makeover!"

"We should know how to beat it, right?" Luna asked while summoning her Shadow Hands.

"Yeah, we should," Sora agreed as he readied his blade.

Ironically, despite how physically imposing and enormous the Darkside is to them, the fight itself wasn't anything too spectacular. Its attempts to punch them into paste was much too easy to read, and even if it unleashed its dark energy orbs to bombard them or summoned pesky little Shadows from the black dark puddles to harass them, none of these did anything more than keep the trio on their toes until they've successfully eliminated it. Before long, the fiend was no more, leaving the party to figure out what to do now.

"Okay…I have to keep her safe…" Sora said, shifting his focus back on Namine. "Namine! Can you hear me?"

"But do we have any idea where she is?" Luna asked him.

"Hey! We're over here!"

At the sound of the familiar male voice, Sora, Luna and Medea turned around to find Nero waving to them as he stood beside a young blond girl in white, seemingly happy to see them alive. When he finally saw the girl face-to-face, Sora couldn't help feeling a rush of relief flowing through him as he felt he finally found who he was looking for. On Luna's part, she could scarcely let out a breath of relief that Nero is here; she may have had her reservations with him, but he really did make her worry when he disappeared without warning like that. Medea, unknown to everyone else, already felt suspicion creeping through her system.

"Nero, where have you been? We looked everywhere for you," Luna chastised firmly, "Why did you run off on us after we arrived on the island?"

"I had to let Namine know you were all coming," Nero replied, trying to ease her worries. "She couldn't wait to see you, let alone Sora. I didn't mean to vanish like I did."

In Sora's case, he had trouble forming the words to the girl. "Namine…"

She gave a small smile. "Sora… You came for me."

He couldn't contain his excitement. "It's you… It's really you. I've been through so much just to see you. I've even brought Luna with me. She wanted to meet you, too."

"Yes. I wanted to see you, too," But then, her smile faltered. "But this isn't right. I messed up. I wanted to see you… But this isn't the right way." She shook her head sadly. "I was lonely for so long. I just couldn't bear it anymore. So I called to yours and Luna's hearts and had you both come all the way out to this place. You came for me and I'm so…so happy, but…but to your hearts I had to –"

"Don't worry. I'm here because I promised I would protect you," Sora interrupted, reassuring her.

Luna turned to the two and gave her two cents on the matter. "Namine…I was hoping we could talk once we met, like Sora promised me. Perhaps now is a good time to have questions answered? I wouldn't mind finding out what you know that I don't."

"Of course she can. She's a friend, isn't she?" Nero answered on her behalf, "Luna's just been a little slow on traveling down memory lane, if you know what I mean."

"…Thank you," Namine said in appreciation. But then, she pulled her hand away from Sora. "And I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to be in this picture."

After everything that she's been hearing within this conversation, all the suspicions Medea had regarding the situation of Namine and Nero quickly began to shoot the roof of her head. From what she's picking up, there is something that Namine knows, and Nero is not being as honest as he is supposed to be even after having accompanied them for as long as he has. And now, the evidence is coming forth from this mysterious girl's mouth.

"So you do know something about this the whole damn time!" Medea deduced.

"That's true. You're right on your suspicions, Medea."

Surprised at the same voice, Sora and Luna turned around to find – another Namine? But there's something slightly off about the one that appeared behind them. While one Namine has a physical form, the other is transparent, like a ghost, and yet there she is. Just what is going on right now? Neither of the teens have a clue what the deal is.

"That isn't me. I'm not there," the other Namine told them.

"I don't really exist inside your hearts," added the first Namine.

In the midst of the confusion, Nero is noticed to become a bit agitated at the anomaly present in the area.

"Namine, what are you doing?" he asked anxiously.

"I don't exist in anyone's heart."

"I never have existed anywhere."

"Namine, stop! If you tell them anything…!" Nero grew increasingly aggravated.

Luna, upon hearing this, immediately turned to Nero as her suspicion began to resurface regarding him. Does he really know something about this? So much so that he's trying to get Namine to stop talking so that the charade can continue? For that reason would he want to do that?

"Nero…are you hiding something from me?" Luna demanded to him. "Are you hiding something about you and Namine?"

"No! No, I wouldn't do that to you!" Nero pleaded insistently, "I wouldn't lie about us. I'm your brother. You know that, don't you? I've always told you that we're family, didn't I? I thought I told you all you needed to know."

"Oh, yeah? Where's your proof, Nero?" Medea had just about enough of this. "Did Luna ever say 'yes, we are brother and sister' at any time? Did Luna ever say that she's known Namine at any point in her childhood? Did she?"

Sora, shocked, looked between the two Namine and asked, "What…What are you saying? What's gotten into you? Weren't we inseparable, always together? But then you had to go away… I came here so I'd never lose you again!"

But then, Namine delivered the big question. "Was it really me you wanted to see?"

Nero, however, tried to reason with Luna one more time. "Please, Luna. You really wanted to be with your brother again, didn't you?"

"Do you know who your brother really is, Luna?" Namine questioned, overruling Nero's question.

Sora looked at Namine again, while Luna kept her gaze hard on Nero. Both of them, faced with difficult questions, tried to find the answer to what's being asked, to know what the truth is about the two people they've been getting involved with.

Sora answered his given question quickly. "Of course it was! I know I've forgotten a lot of things in this castle, but never anything about you! Look!" He pulled out the charm to show to Namine. "You gave this to me, didn't you?"

The first Namine recognized it right away. "You have it! My good luck charm."

But the other Namine put a stop to it. "No, Sora! You can't believe me!"

Silence filled the area as the first Namine turned around sadly, not wanting to face Sora out of shame. This made Nero increasingly nervous as he waited impatiently for Luna's answer on where her loyalty lies. But in her case, Luna found herself having trouble deciding what the truth is and what isn't; her muddled and fragmented memories, along with the locked memories, made it more difficult to get a grasp of what she really knew.

"Namine…you told me to find the truth," she finally spoke up, "But the thing is…I can't completely speak of what the truth is. I've lost several memories, and some of them are locked away from me. And there are still some memories I haven't regained, even after arriving in this place. But then…" She swallowed before continuing. "I've been seeing vague images…images of faces that frighten me. What's worse is that there are some among those people in the coats who meant to capture me. How can I say anything if someone won't let me remember?"

When Sora heard this, coupled with the intervention of Namine against what's being presented, he found himself at a loss. He didn't know what to think about all of this.

"What am I supposed to do…" he asked, but then corrected himself. "What are **_we_** supposed to do?"

"Think, Sora. Think, Luna. Think just one more time," she replied, "About who's most special to you. Call out to that piece of memory that glimmers faintly deep inside your hearts. No matter how far away the light gets, your heart's voices will always reach it."

Sora and Luna looked down at their trinkets as they each tried to come up with an answer, Sora at his charm and Luna at her brooch.

"Who's most special to me?" Sora answered first, "That's an easy one."

Luna hesitated on answering hers. "The person special to me… It has to be…"

"It's you, Nami-"

"Is it really my –"

Suddenly, both baubles flashed brilliantly, blinding them. However, in the middle of it all, Luna unexpectedly heard a vaguely familiar voice somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, scoffing in annoyance like someone's bored of the drama and wants to change things up.

 _"_ _Sweetie, you're so slow today. I gotta do everything myself, don't I?"_

Then, an unlocking sound clicked in her ears, and within seconds, she felt all of the memories that she had gained break apart like glass and all the memories she made from her childhood to her adventures with Sora flood her head in full force. She…she remembers! Now she can piece together the people she's met, the places she's been to, the friends, the foes – all of it, she now fully remembers. But not all of it, though. She still has the gap in her memories that, although fragments have been restored, there is more that still have yet to resurface.

By the time the light died down, Sora and Luna looked down at their trinkets again and found that they've changed again. But rather than the star charm and the sunstone, they returned to being a Thalassa shell charm and a moonstone brooch. Then, both of them looked up to where Namine is – only for her to change into a familiar redheaded girl.

"Kairi!" Luna exclaimed.

"So, now you remember?" Medea said in surprise.

But…that's a problem for Sora. "Who… Who was that? I can't remember her, but she feels so…familiar."

It hurt Luna to realize that Sora's memories are still a terrible mess. But now that she had her memories back, and the lock on her mind was removed, she now can follow Namine's trail and get the answers she sorely needed since hearing her name. But there's also the matter of Nero; she always had a feeling he wasn't telling her something, but now she can confront him properly and get him to confess what lies he's been telling her once and for all.

"C'mon, we'd better bail before Sora realizes blondie ain't here," Medea suggested to her.

She nodded in agreement with her Guardian, prompting them both to make a quick getaway before Sora figures out where they've gone off to.

* * *

As Luna and Medea returned to the white halls again, they found Namine and Nero waiting for them. Neither of them spoke, but it can be seen there is a strong feeling of shame and grief coming from them. Nero tried to approach with the intent to talk, but was quickly stopped by the dangerous glare given off by the angry Guardian, forcing him to back off until it's time to speak to him. Instead, Luna made her way to Namine to have a one on one talk with her; she wanted to know the truth, and now she can get the truth with her memories restored.

"Namine…I've regained most of my memories now. I remember what I used to know as a child, and what I've experienced before we got here," Luna told her, "I always wondered why we've been losing memories and gaining new ones afterwards. I never understood why Sora became obsessed over you, why Nero kept telling me he's my brother, and why Riku was being hostile to other people while he was still gentle to me. But when you spoke to us…" She paused. "Were you the real reason why our memories were being lost and then found so differently?"

Namine nodded. "That's correct. That's exactly what happened since you all came here."

"And yet, I've noticed that my memories were lost more slowly than Sora's," Luna continued, "Is there a reason for that?"

There was a bit of hesitation before Namine finally answered, "There is. Even though I was told to meddle with your memories, I…found it hard to mess with yours. I was afraid that, if I meddled too much, you or someone close to you would suspect something."

"So that explains why my master's been able to retain her memories longer than the boys," Medea couldn't deny her intrigue. "And I almost thought they were being idiots…"

When it seemed like there's a window of opportunity, Nero finally gained the courage to speak to Luna, hoping to appeal to her again. "Luna, let me explain myself –"

But she wasn't having any of it. "What do you want to explain to me, Nero? That you are my brother? No. You're not my brother. My brother's name is Terra. He was the greatest brother I could ever ask for. He had his conflicts, but I remember fondly the love he gave to me while I was in the care of him and his friends. But then…I lost each of them. It still haunts me to this day." When he tried to speak up again, she stopped him when she proceeded to call him out on all he had done to her. "You lied to me, Nero. You lied about everything. You told me that you're my brother, and that you had been traveling before you found yourself here. That was all a lie, wasn't it? You tried to convince me that Riku is not trustworthy. Were you trying to demonize him to me? And just what were you trying to prove, asking me about what I valued most? If you really did have some kind of connection with me, you would've even known the name of my mama. I know who my mama is. Do you know what her name is?"

Before he could answer her question (or attempt to), the doors opened as Sora arrived on the scene. The distress on his face is evident as he made his way over to Namine, who wouldn't even look at him. He must've realized that Namine wasn't in sight, so he followed Luna and Meda's trail since they left before he did; that's why he got out there so he could get answers. He doesn't know what to think, and he doesn't even know how to handle the sudden reveal that brought the façade undone.

"Namine! It isn't you," he said, distraught, "The person most special to me – it's not you… Right?"

"No… The girl you really care about…" Namine replied sadly, "The one who was always with you… It's not me. It's her."

"But then who…who is she?" he asked in distress, "Cuz I can't…think of her name. If she's so special to me, then why can't I remember?"

"Because I went into your memories and –" Namine was about to tell him the truth when…

"Let ME explain this."

Everyone jolted in surprise, and quickly turned around to find Riku there to meet them, and this time, he is not intent on playing around with them; this time, he has a score to settle once and for all. He put himself in front of Namine and pulled Luna close to him again, all the while blocking Sora, Nero and Medea from approaching them as he made it clear what his answer is for the whole mess.

"Plain and simple," he answered bitterly, "Your memory is a train wreck. You're not the one who's meant to protect Namine and Luna. It's supposed to me! But you and your messed up memories are always in the way, Sora!"

"Stop it! It's not Sora's fault he lost his memories!" Luna implored, trying to hold him back. "Please, stop fighting!"

"Don't try to stop me, Luna," Riku refused to back down, breaking free from her as he drew his blade. "Sora is in our way. Once he's done, then Nero is next!"

Almost immediately, Riku charged right toward Sora, forcing him to stand his ground against his opponent. In the midst of the ferocious clash, Medea and Nero quickly moved in to rescue their respective partners; Medea retrieved Luna and hurried her over to one side of the hall while Nero picked up Namine and carried her to the safety of the other side. This time around, it can be seen that this fight is much more intense and focused than the last few encounters they had with him, with Sora no longer holding back against his friend, who became much more aggressive in his combat approach than he was before. However, after the last battles that ensued, it can be seen that Sora has gained better footing against him, and with enough persistence, he is finally able to muster the strength to incapacitate him, sending him to his knees.

Now, one would assume that the fight would be over. Sora thought so, too, as he hurried over to Riku the moment he is down so that he could try and reason with him. But it wasn't the case.

"Want some more?" Riku hissed.

Suddenly, a burst of dark flame let loose, sending Sora careening backwards to the floor. Everyone else gasped in shock at the cheap shot taken when things should've simmered down between the opposing parties. As Sora struggled to get up, Riku get back up and moved in, ready to finish the job for real.

"Riku…" Sora groaned.

"Looks like I win," Riku said smugly.

"Riku, stop!" Namine pleaded, squirming out of Nero's grasp.

"You are through!" Riku raised his blade, ready to finish Sora off.

"Don't do it, Riku!" Luna implored as she hurried to Sora's aid.

But when it seemed like Sora is done for, Namine could no longer contain the storm of emotions and let it loose in just three words.  
"I said STOP!" she cried out loudly.

Suddenly, a flash blinked at Riku's head, causing him to abruptly stop in his tracks. In the midst of it all, he dropped his blade, stumbling a little ways before he collapsed to the floor like a puppet that lost its strings. When that happened, Luna bolted to him to find out what's wrong with Medea trailing along from behind her. Not long after, Nero hurried over to Sora to make sure he's alright; all the while looking on in shock at what happened to the boy they've been getting in fights with. Nobody had the faintest idea whether the interference was helpful – or hurtful.

"Riku…" Sora called to him. "Riku! RIKU!" He looked at Namine. "What did you do? What did you do to him?"

"What I wanna know is what the hell happened here," Medea insisted as she watched her master frantically check the cataleptic boy.

That was when a familiar face arrived on the scene from the wisps of darkness: Larxene. Had she been observing the whole thing from somewhere else? It would seem so, as her smug face spoke volumes on why she's here, and it's not for what happened between them last time. No, this time it's for a far different reason.

"Broke his heart. I'd say more like she smashed it, really," Larxene told them.

Sora was shocked at this. "Smashed…his heart?! Then what's gonna…What's gonna happen to Riku?"

Larxene laughed at this, and replied mockingly, "Oh, you're so much fun to watch. If it's Riku you're worried about, then don't. Because Riku was never really there."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora demanded.

"Do you really think I'm just gonna say it?" the sadistic blond asked, "That's too easy! Oh, what to do?"

"Quit the games!" Sora snapped as he charged towards her.

"My thoughts exactly!" Medea growled as she joined in.

When both Keyblade wielder and Shadow Guardian tried to get at the blond, she just kicked Sora back a few yards and then proceeded to backhand Medea away from her.

Seeing the impatience, Larxene decided to play along. "All right, have it your way, then. I know it'll kill you all to hear about this, but I think I can live with that. That thing lying there is just a puppet that Vexen made as an experiment. No more than a toy. It's laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was a fabrication all along."

Sora was stunned about this. "Not Riku? A fake?!"

When Luna heard this, her horror turned into anger at Larxene's words. This whole time that she and Sora had moved halfway up the castle, they were fooled by a replica of their friend? They've been duped! She had always thought something wasn't right whenever she was around him, but to know that she was being pursued by a copycat just made her sick to her stomach. Now she really wanted someone to pay for the wrong they've done, messing with her emotions and hurting Sora's friendship as they did – and since Larxene is here, it made sense that she would want to dole out some payback as soon as she gets her chance.

"Fake in every possible way," the blond continued with glee, "It was only finished recently. How could it remember anything?" She proceeded to pick up the body, playing with it before throwing it across the room like a ragdoll. "You get it? Its memories with Namine are planted, not real. Yup. That means, all this time, it's been picking a fight with you over memories that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. Isn't that the truth, Namine? Nero?"

Namine gave no answer, but Nero gave a hard glare at Larxene as he stood near her, trying hard not to rashly attack despite his wish to do so.

"Oh, so cute…but behind this little face and that strong man, you both do awful things," Larxene taunted the two.

Luna glared at Larxene as she hissed, "How dare you…"

"Namine…"

Larxene rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You're so stupid. Don't you get it now? That's what Namine's and Nero's powers are about! She can enter, rearrange, and even create new memories – of anything, even things that never happened. On the flipside, Nero can get into Luna's head and lock up any memory she still has, all the while allowing Namine to do the rest. The girl you've been trying to protect – and the boy who pined for his lost sister – are really a manipulative witch and an altered doppelganger who shackle people's hearts!"

"Yeah, and for what? To make us look like blithering idiots and empty dolls?" Meda retorted angrily.

"Then…my – _our_ memories…are all…" Sora started to piece together what it means for them.

"They were never ours from the start," Luna figured it out quickly.

"Oh, you do get it! Lies, lies, all lies!" Larxene applauded mockingly. "Just Namine's illusions and Nero's trickery, nothing more. Binding you in the chains of your own memories was central to our trap. It makes me tingle to think how easily you were duped. Though, it's a little disappointing that the fragile child didn't completely bite her bait. So close to it – we were almost there." Her smile turned into a frown as her eyes moved to Namine and Nero. "This was our only chance to turn the Keybalde master into our puppet and break the Shadow Mage into a doll. That jerk, Axel – he used Namine to betray us and expose Nero as an imposter!"

Luna and Medea abruptly looked at each other when they heard that last bit. Is it correct that Namine's interference against her own machinations and Nero's impersonation were all orchestrated by Axel? No wonder Larxene felt really pissed off that things have gone horribly wrong for their posse. Perhaps the group isn't as inclined to teamwork as they thought they were; they've seen one case of backstabbing firsthand, after all. If they can get that annoying woman out the way, then they'd better consider finding Axel and grilling him for information at the earliest opportunity.

"So now, I'm left with no choice to eliminate both of you!" the blond growled as she formed her knives between her fingers.

"Come and try!" Luna dared her.

"You'll pay…" Sora groaned.

But then, Namine stepped in the way, holding her arms out. "Don't!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Huh? It's a little late for the witch to grow a conscience. Last time I checked – YOU'RE the one who fooled around their memories creating this mess."

"I know, but –"

"I should let you know that I'm in an EXTREMELY foul mood," Larxene growled, "Thanks to you, all our plans are ruined!"

She slapped Namine aside, sending the poor girl crashing to the floor next to the unmoving replica. But this served to spark Nero's anger at the woman's violence, and he proceeded to pounce on her; this made the both of them get in a brief struggle before Larxene mustered the strength to throw Nero to the side, where he slammed against the wall.

"Namine! Nero!" Sora and Luna both cried out in alarm.

The woman raised a brow at them. "What's this? Are you both upset? And you don't even actually know them!"

"Maybe not," Sora replied defiantly, "But still…I made…a promise. A promise I made to Namine to keep her safe. Maybe my memories are fake. But the promise is real to me. That's why – I'll keep it."

"Whether we know them or no, it's no excuse for you to be violent," Luna agreed. "You can't stop Sora from fighting against you, and you can't make me bend to you. I have my memories back, and you can't do anything to keep it away from me again."

"And you can bet your ass that I'm gonna help 'em take out the trash," Medea seconded.

It didn't sit well for Larxene as she let out an irritated 'hmph'. "You're such an idiot. There is no promise, there never was! You're just delusional." She then glared at the girls. "And you two – you just have to make things more difficult, do you? Must you three insist on playing the heroes? Whatever. If that's the way you want it…You're all going down alone!"

As she readied her knives and prepared to finish them off, a familiar little shield suddenly flew right towards her, forcing her to stop and step back before she got her face smashed in. Then, Sora and Luna found themselves all being healed of their injuries, Medea and Nero included. Imagine their joy when they saw who came back to help them when they needed it most: Donald and Goofy! Not only that, but Jiminy arrived right behind them. It seemed, to Luna's delight, that the cricket succeeded in delivering her message to them, and they did follow them as she instructed. And boy, did they pick a good time to be the cavalry!

"Not if we can stop you!" Donald swore.

Sora felt a lot happier to see their friends again. "Donald! Goofy! You came back for us!"

"Of course we did, Sora," Goofy answered jovially, "We were so worried about you guys!"

"We made a promise!" Donald added, "We promised that we protect you both!"

"You won't ever be alone. It's always been the five of us and we stick together…" the knight promised.

"And that's how it will stay!" the duck finished, glaring at their enemy.

Seeing that their allies have returned, and now everyone has their weapons primed and ready to beat her down, Larxene recognized that she's about to get into a fight with several fighters of different sorts. She gave her sadistic grin, like she always did; but this time, she makes it clear that she's not planning on showing any mercy to them whatsoever.

"Okay…have it your way," she said menacingly, "More pain for you means more fun for me!"

That's when Nero joined in with the band, broadsword on hand. "There will be pain, alright. But the pain will be coming from those who you used and abused!"

Just like the last time they fought her, Larxene's speed and her relentless array of knives and thunder spells kept the whole party on their toes at all times, mostly just to keep themselves alive long enough to wear her down. But she certainly didn't make it any easier for them, since she can teleport around just so she can attempt to strike at them from anywhere in the room; but given her character, it's safest to say that she's one of those people who isn't shy about taking pot shots at anyone just to be a bigger jerk than they already are.

As far as the teams are concerned, Sora, Goofy and Nero stood in as the more direct fighters as they fought to keep their quick-footed nemesis from darting away from them too much, lest they put the rest of their teammates at risk for a merciless beat-down. At the very least, Sora improved upon his agile footwork so that he can prevent Larxene from kicking him around too much, and he made sure to mix up his techniques with a few spells – particularly fire spells to keep her busy and the occasional ice spells to trap in one place long enough for someone else to seize the chance to knock her around a bit before she breaks loose. Nero, on the other hand, offered up no signs of hesitation as he made a relentless assault on the sadistic blond; after whatever hell he's been through, his battle positions made it clear that he's had enough of being played for a fool by this parasitic witch.

That didn't stop Larxene from trying to get under his skin, though. "You're such a troublesome thing, are you? We promised you a sister to play with, and this is how you thank us now! You turn against us just because your prey was too wary of you!"

"It's precisely because of my dishonesty I lost her trust," Nero rebuked, "I lied too much, and the lies I've been told to use were too weak to convince her to come along."

"So much for family reunion," the blond spat spitefully.

With the other team, Luna and Medea pressed their specializing offensive abilities to help give their comrades the edge they need while Donald provided the support from afar, bombarding the area with magic spells aplenty to trip up their adversary and throwing some healing should someone be off their game. Knives clashed with claws as Medea put the pressure on Larxene, flying all over the place just to whittle down the erratic movements of their elusive enemy; all the while, Luna gave chase with her Shadow Hands, sending them all around the place to catch their annoying bully.

Though, there did come a point where Larxene caught wind as to how they were trying to trap her so that they can pound on her all at once; acting posthaste so as to not get caught in a corner, she used her teleportation skills to make quick work of the primary offensive party. It didn't completely diminish them, but it allowed her to seize the chance to get after the girls for their trouble supporting them. Luna acted as fast as she could to block away Larxene from taking any chances to tear through her, but even she knew her Hands could only hold up for so long against a ruthless woman like her.

"To think everything would've gone smoother if you hadn't been asking too many questions to everyone," Larxene growled bitterly, "I don't see why Marluxia wants to break something the boss wants so bad."

The mention of someone being the leader reminded Luna of what she knew from Zexion; he had mentioned to her that his superior has been searching for her for nine years. But then what does Marluxia have to do with all this? Unless if what she's witnessed from first entering the castle, and what information Vexen spilled before his murder, there is something she almost missed the entire time…

"Are you saying it was Marluxia we met at the start?" Luna demanded for answers. "What does he want so bad that he toyed with Sora's heart and used Nero to lure me in as well?"

"Not telling! That's what you get for misbehaving," Larxene taunted, "and anyone who misbehaves gets punished for their trouble!"

By that point, Larxene became increasingly aggressive to the point where she managed to breach the Shadow Hands, allowing her to swipe at Luna before giving her a hard kick to the stomach, forcing her to collide with the wall. Medea, recognizing her master is in trouble, immediately turned back to protect her master from further harm – and just in the nick of time, too. For a moment, she found a chance to jump back into Luna's shadow and move in to knock back Larxene just enough to ensure no further harm came to her.

This only served to irritate this woman greatly. "Pesky little trickster!"

Just as Larxene prepared to make another charge at her targets, something strange happened that most of the other party didn't realize was going on. Despite knowing the enemy is coming close, Medea just calmly emerged from the shadow of her master, reforming her Black Claws onto her hands whilst reestablishing her footing on solid ground; her violet eyes stared hard and dangerously at the savage nymph, drilling into her being as though to give a warning to her imminent doom. Time seemed to slow down between the two of them as – for just a slight moment – Larxene could've sworn that she heard the faint sound of invisible chains snapping apart, even though there are no chains to be seen.

But then, Medea gave a predatory glare to her as she said menacingly, "My turn."

Without warning, the Guardian suddenly rushed through the air as she swiped her claws at the stunned enemy, sending her crashing down to the floor. Larxene, who had just witnessed firsthand just how badly the tides have turned against her, gave a frustrated growl as she reset her knives to prepare to get back in the game. But by the time she recovered herself, she was much too late; Medea already proceeded to cut loose and come after the enemy in full force. Knives feverishly clashed against claws as both full-frontal female fighters lashed against each other until the Guardian finally broke through the fragile defenses, allowing her to tear her down until she could barely keep herself from completely falling to the floor.

By the time the violence died down, Larxene felt like she was on her last legs; but she certainly refused to give in to her defeat.

"No…No! I refuse to lose to such a bunch of losers!" she gasped in fatigue. But then, she noticed herself starting to disappear from existence. "I think I'm…I'm fading?! No, this isn't…the way I… I won't…ALLOW…"

But it is too late for her, as she vanished into nothing, never to be seen. Though the ordeal here is finished, there are still other pressing matters that needed to be taken care of right away.

However, at the very least, it gave the party enough breathing room to rest and regroup, which Sora especially took advantage of to make sure Luna's okay. Forunately, she is, if only a little dizzy from having lost consciousness from being knocked back.

"Sora…is that horrible woman gone?" she asked.

He nodded in reassurance. "Yeah…she is. Though…we have a lot to talk to our friends about now that the dust has settled down…"


	26. Chapter 25: Lexaeus

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **And so sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out. It felt really slow because there wasn't a lot to go on with this chapter. So, if any of you felt this chapter was pretty damn short after this, I apologize.**

 **But regardless, I promise you that I'll do whatever I can to make the next chapter longer than this one, even if by a small margin.**

 **And besides, I'm sure my viewers are anticipating for Marluxia's downfall.**

 **So, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To The Ever-Dreaming Kitten: A reviewer wanted Medea to finish off Larxene. So, I decided to give that reader what they wanted. ;)**

 **To Guest 17: All in due time... All in due time...**

 **To Guest: You've surprised me a ton, my dear reader. You certainly had A LOT to say, didn't you? Well, since you've had the utmost kindness to give your deepest opinions about my series so far, I'll gladly indulge you with my replies, my thoughts, and what answers I can offer. First of all, I appreciate that you love my version of Kingdom Hearts so far! Truthfully, when I first started created this fanfiction series, my initial reason to create Luna in the first place was because I wanted to throw a curve ball on the OC roster and bring in something different from what other writers did; plus, I thought it'd be more investing if I created OCs that had some form of character trait that people can relate to. The same can be said about the other characters I created, since I'll admit that I really wanted to embrace canon characters that need protection from the yaoi fans (those people annoy me, I hate to say). And since it's pretty much my fanfic, I thought it'd be fun if I added other Final Fantasy characters that I thought could use more attention. Secondly, regarding the matter of world selections, I'd like to assure you that I've actually settled the matter of Big Hero 6; thanks to the counsel of my creative consultant, I've found a loophole on making use of it so that this world can still be used even though Square has decided to insert it into their game. As for the world suggestions you've brought up recently, I've got ideas for Pocahontas, Treasure Planet and Atlantis covered, so we're golden there. That said, I'll consider putting Brave among ideas, and see if I can come up with the setup for the world exploration. Now, in answer to your questions, I'll try my best to give my two cents on the situation, along with bringing in a question of my own. As far as KH3 is concerned, depending on information I get, I'll keep working with what worlds I'm offered until I learn about what worlds have been chosen by the developers. As far as what worlds I want put in, it's a bit hard to say since the Disney category is a library of choices. Now, for your last question: would I like to have my fanfiction series listed in TV Tropes? Hmm...I honestly never thought about it. Perhaps if you could indulge me with information on how I could do so, then I'd love to hear it.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 25: Lexaeus

If there's something that Riku and Noir can agree on, it's that Wonderland felt more like a mind-boggling drug trip than anything else. In one location, they're much smaller than the flora that surrounded them, and in the next location they're bigger than the furniture that filled the middle of the room. And that's not even mentioning the maze of greens that led into a courtyard owned by the last person anybody would want to be around. At least the Heartless there gave them enough chances to narrow down their focus so that they could work out a better angle on finding their way out of this mad world; though, there was still the annoying spindly circus freak that roasted any opportunities for an easy escape from the place, and it took time for them to extinguish its fickle flames before clearing the path of the ashes it left behind.

However, just as they opened the door back to the halls of Castle Oblivion, they were greeted by the sight of another man in a black coat; but this one, they've identified as bulkier than the others as though the man had been physically working himself to the bone. And the weapon he has on hand let them know that there is a very likely chance that they'll have to fight their way past him if they want to proceed further up the basement – and he's not going to make it easy.

Noir, however, identified something else with him, too. To her, it's another familiar face, similarly to Vexen; if what she heard from him is correct, there's a possibility that he's involved with this group as well.

"Aeleus… You, too, huh?" she said warily.

The ginger-haired man looked at her knowingly and replied simply, "Quite right, Noir. I'm sure you already know what the difference is."

"I believe I do…" Noir replied, knowing the answer. "It's the same with Vexen before."

Like Noir, Riku quickly noticed something with this man. "That scent… You're another one of those 'Nobodies'."

"You've done well thus far," Lexaeus answered him cryptically, "But to possess your powers, and yet fear the dark… What a waste."

Riku hated hearing that again. "I do not…fear it!"

"I sense that you do. You're also capable of controlling the darkness;" the redhead answered to the contrary, "Cast away your useless fear. Open your heart. Embrace the darkness."

"And if I say no?" Riku asked, retorting.

"Then you lose both light and darkness – and disappear!"

All of a sudden, a pulsing flash of powerful energy emanated from Lexaeus, letting loose a surge of dark winds that pushed back Riku and Noir ever so slightly as they tried their hardest to keep themselves from being blown away by whatever other potent force there is that also flowed around him. What strength could possibly be flowing out of this man, and at such an intimidating level? When it died down, there only remained the lingering tension that warned of a battle about ready to break loose within this hall – and it might be on a whole different scale than what they've encountered with Vexen several floors earlier.

"I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart – of an infantile coward!" Lexaeus declared as he readied his axe against them, "Now, stop resisting – and let the darkness in!"

There was not much more need for words by this point – not that Lexaeus had too much more to say to them anyway - as their opponent has his giant axe brandished in his hand; Riku brought forth his Soul Eater and Noir her Dark Hands, and the battle began.

However, this fight is by far one of the most difficult they've ever encountered thus far in the castle. Not only did Lexaeus hold his ground like that of an enduring stone wall, but he also delivered out hard and very brutal attacks that kept them on their toes throughout the entire confrontation. With every swing of his axe, the ground violently shook with every impact made against the floor; it almost felt like an earthquake found its way into the castle and threatens to bring the whole place down. This was especially the case when, with sheer might, he threw his axe sword with all his strength like a boomerang, meaning to knock them off their feet and put a hole into the floor. If that weren't enough, he had even made to directly attack them personally when he had the opportunity, forcing Riku and Noir to stay on the move if they don't want to end up on the receiving end of anywhere in the room. What manner of strength he developed in himself is beyond their knowledge, but what they knew for sure is that he could very easily bring down the basement if he really wanted to put the effort into it.

Riku couldn't help feeling disbelief at the physical strength. "How is this guy able to hit this hard?"

"I have no idea," Noir replied quickly, mostly disbelieving what she's seeing.

But then, just when things already were difficult for them to handle, Lexaeus made a move that looked like he was increasing his power; an orange-yellow aura formed around him, and with him a slight tremor of energy can be felt emanating strongly from his body. Not long after, he immediately went on the offensive - but this time, as he poured in the energy to his attack prowess, his swings and sword strikes became much stronger than usual to the point where from the moment the axe sword hit the floor, jagged rocks abruptly flew into the air, tripping them up in conjunction with the quakes that didn't entirely let up. And then it got worse when he used his blade to smash the spiked rocks, sending the stony debris hurtling around them, making it more difficult to avoid any harm.

If it weren't for Noir's Dark Hands forming around the room and trying to diminish the danger coming from the stones, it's certain that any injuries sustained could've been a lot worse than what the fighter is already doing when engaged with them directly. Once it appeared the rocks have subsided, Riku made the charge against Lexaeus with the intent on landing an opportune strike on him – but once he hit the mark, he realized something wasn't right. He was so sure that he hit him, but the brute looked like he hardly felt a thing. If anything, he seemed to be ignoring the injury sustained.

"Not good enough," Lexaeus commented.

In retaliation to the feeble strike, the hulking fighter knocked him away; luckily for Riku, Noir acted quickly and caught him, though she tumbled backwards in the process from her efforts since he was flung off hard enough to send him sailing across the hall.

"Okay…maybe going after him while he's empowered wasn't the best idea at all," Riku chastised himself.

"Well, then just stay close to me a moment, okay?" Noir instructed him as she readied her Hands for defense. "I'll try to keep him at bay until he's calmed down."

"And hope he doesn't break your defenses," he added.

And it proved to be a very smart idea for them since Lexaeus had powered up again; but this time, the yellow aura that hindered damage inflicted on him changed into a red aura, and his attacks became much stronger than the last time. Even more troubling for them is that no damage could be inflicted on him whatsoever, almost like he's walking about as though nothing happened to him at all.

"I'll break you!" his voice boomed as he made ready to strike.

Under Noir's protection as she kept Lexaeus at bay, Riku stayed nearby her as he waited until the right moment to get after the man and bring him down to his knees. While the pesky red aura surrounded his body, she used her Dark Hands to repel the axe sword's relentless assault, all the while trying to goad him into expending his energy into one big strike; having him spend all his strength in one sitting is their only chance to end the fight once and for all. Even so, the brute didn't make it easy for them because he never wasted any time to use the empowerment to cause more powerful quakes that made them stumble on their feet, or other times he would unleash jagged rocks which he smashed apart to give them a hard time trying to get away from him at every turn. It almost felt like a struggle to survive an onslaught of earthquakes that keep coming constantly with no signs of slowing down at any given time.

But that would come to an end when, in a bid to take them down for good, Lexaeus finally made a last-ditch effort to sending them crashing down; using all of the energy he had built up and recharged more than once to unleash the strongest quake he can conjure. With just a swing of his axe sword, he slammed the floor hard enough to cause large crooked blocks of rock to shoot out from underneath. But Noir got wise to the intentions, and promptly used her Dark Hands to hoist both Riku and her off the ground long enough to avoid getting caught in the middle of the rush of stone bunching together in rapid succession. After that, a window of opportunity presented itself to end the fight at the first chance: just as the hulking man had spent his energy and began to pull himself together, Riku took full advantage of the opening and gave the jump on him, moving in as quickly as he can to cut Lexaeus down until he's been weakened.

By the time the fight has been finished, Riku and Noir are still managing to keep standing (despite some fatigue from having to put up with the annoying rocks) while Lexaeus was forced to his knees, having been worn down from all his efforts to crush his opponents. Thinking this is the perfect chance to finish him off, Riku made his charge once more with the intent on delivering a final blow.

"You're finished!" he shouted as he jumped in for the strike.

But just when he had gotten into position to land a blow, Lexaeus caught wind to what he intended to do and gave a giant swing of his blade in retaliation.

"Don't mock me!" he roared.

With just one hard swing, the axe sword sent Riku flying toward the ceiling, causing him to impact so hard that he quickly lost consciousness while plummeting back down to the ground. Horrified and enraged at the cheap shot brought upon the boy, Noir's maternal instincts kicked in as she unleashed her Dark Hands in full force, meaning to get after Lexaeus in retribution for the harm he inflicted on Riku.

"You'll do no more harm!" she shouted as she motioned the charge.

However, Lexaeus anticipated what she intended to do, and he turned his blade against her, striking the Hands hard enough to disintegrate them. The subsequent shockwave that followed hit her like a truck, forcing her to make impact against the wall before sliding down and collapsing into unconsciousness as well.

When both of them have been rendered incapacitated, Lexaeus recovered and pulled himself up from his knees as he examined the duo on the floor. He couldn't deny that the both of them gave him some trouble, considering how these two have been making their way through the basement and were able to reach as far as they have. They were strong, he'll give them that much credit; but with Riku, he felt sorely disappointed that he still refused to give in to the very same force that he had dabbled into before. Either he's in denial of what he seeks, or he's being convinced by someone else not to pursue the very thing he had so tried anxiously to reach prior to arriving here. It wouldn't surprise him if Noir is part of the reason he's trying his hardest to hold the darkness inside him back; ironic considering that she is affiliated with the darkness that distress Riku so badly.

"You were too much trouble," he mused in disappointment as he slowly made his way to Riku, "Lady Noir didn't help matters in the slightest."

As he started to approach Riku, however, something went awry; a dark aura surrounded the boy as a pool of darkness flowed around him. Then, the aura forced fully around Riku as he bore a strange armor rather than his usual attire. Something about the presence alarmed Lexaeus, more so because he watched as the boy started to get up and grab his sword that lay nearby, almost like nothing happened to him when he clearly should've been out cold. But before he could even get the chance to figure out what's going on, Riku suddenly vanished in a flash and – without warning – a painful feeling coursed through his body as Lexaeus realized too late that he had been slashed, most likely fatally. Then, a voice can be heard behind him, mocking him…but it isn't Riku's. It belonged to someone else, someone he could swear he heard from somewhere else sometime before.

"Too slow."

Now he knew why the aura he had detected upon the boy felt familiar despite difference in identity; Zexion even noticed something similar about it when he first found the scent. But now it is too late for him. He began to fade away from existence, knowing full well that he's done for, and he had failed in his mission to seize Riku on behalf of his comrade. Worse still, he had done something that he should've known was not the best idea on seizing their adversary.

"You are the Superior's…" he turned, hanging his head in shame at his failure, "Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I shouldn't have started."

Lexaeus disappeared away into nothing, leaving a now possessed Riku watching smugly at the dramatic event before he shifted his attention to the unconscious Noir, who still lay sprawled on the floor. It seemed that she doesn't know what happened; he smirked, thinking it's all the better since she isn't in the best condition to fight back. As he started to approach her, her Guardian was about to surface in an attempt to defend her master…

* * *

 _"_ _I see you…clearly."_

When Riku regained consciousness, he immediately grew alarmed when he found himself inside a very dark location. He couldn't see Noir anywhere near him, nor can he find where he is with all this darkness surrounding him. What happened after he had lost consciousness? Did anything happen to Noir? And for that matter, where was Lexaeus? The last thing he remembered was hitting the ceiling, and then…nothing. And now he's hearing the voice of the last person he wanted to engage in any conversation with.

"Lexaeus?!" he tried to call out, hoping to hear something else, "Noir!"

 _"_ _Riku…I can see your heart…"_

As soon as he could hear the voice much more clearly, it didn't take long for Riku to realize that something is amiss, and he's in serious trouble.

"No…it's not. Darkness this foul could only…only be…" he started piecing together what the situation is.

 _"_ _That's it. Remember me… Let me drift in to your heart…"_

Now he knew who it is. "Ansem!"

There's no doubt in his mind: it's Ansem, and he's trying once again to seek control over him like he had attempted more than once now. Then that means…

 _"_ _You called out my name,"_ Ansem replied smugly, _"You have been thinking about me… You're afraid of the darkness I command. Good… The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold…"_ Then, the real deal appeared out of the darkness. "Your heart will be mine!"

Right on cue, the smug monster started to reach out to Riku, more than eager to seize the chance to take back what he wanted to regain control over since first taking possession. But Riku, dreading what this could mean, especially since he feared what might be happening on the outside, he tried his hardest to get away from him, but that was much easier said than done. There just wasn't much room to escape; all he could do is try to put up a feeble defense before he knew that he is simply done for.

But before Ansem could get his chance to seize what he believes to be his prize, a flash of light surged throughout the abyssal place. And in the midst of the brightness, an orb of light appeared right in front of Riku defensively, as though standing between him and the monster that means to destroy him; a familiar high-pitched voice reached his ears all the while, trying so hard to turn the tide against Ansem.

 _"_ _Riku, fight! Don't let him win!"_

It was King Mickey's voice. He had once again intervened in Riku's favor, trying to save him yet again. And this time, Riku can actually see his phantasmal form protectively standing his ground, blocking away the malicious man who dared to endanger the boy once again.

"Your Majesty!" Riku exclaimed, surprised and relieved to see him.

But Ansem, having been subdued by the radiance of the light and the timely intervention of the mouse king, grew angry at having been driven back again; but now he can do nothing, since the light that filled the abyss had weakened him enough that he is forced into retreat. However, he couldn't help growling in fury over having been thwarted by the rodent that had given him more trouble than he already had gotten.

"You meddlesome king!" he roared as the darkness disappeared around him.

* * *

"Riku? Riku!"

Gradually, Riku opened his eyes and woke up to find Noir hovering worriedly by his side. He couldn't help feeling this wave of relief wash over him, knowing that she is alright; he had almost feared the worst when he heard nothing of her. As he heaved himself upright, she followed suit, still fretting over him like an overprotective mother would when their child has gone through something rough. Not long after, he heard her give a sigh of relief alongside a tight embrace now that it's clear he's feeling a lot better than he was before.

"Oh…Riku, you had me worried," Noir sighed deeply, "When I came to, I saw that you were unconscious, and I feared something might've happened. Are you okay?"

"Yeah… The king…he protected me," Riku replied, a bit shaken from the experience. But then, he realized that he hadn't heard more from Mickey after he had stopped Ansem. "Your Majesty, where are you? Please answer!"

There's no answer to be found. However, knowing that he had been saved by the kindness of a friend who feels his pain, he felt a little more secure because it proved the king is keeping his promise on protecting him until he can fight against the very being that torments him relentlessly.

"You were with me, weren't you…" he said softly.

Noir quickly figured out what he meant. "Mickey saved you again, didn't he? If only I knew what you'd been going through. But after what Lexaeus did to me not long after knocking you down…"

That hit Riku immediately. "Noir, what happened? Did something happen to Lexaeus? The last thing I recall was crashing into the ceiling, that's it. After that…nothing…"

Her face quickly fell when she realized that he doesn't know what happened. Then again, she wasn't any better about that. Lexaeus did a number on them, and even then, neither of them had the knowledge about what troubles crossed their paths before regaining their senses.

"I don't have the answers to that. I, too, was out cold not long after you," Noir replied sadly. She turned to her side. "Tenebrae, please tell Riku of the events. He must know what became of us while our memory was at a blank."

Her Guardian emerged from the shadows as she regaled the events. _"The brute you faced had rendered your senses cold, which he did the same to the lady. But then, the fiend who haunts you made his move, seizing your body, slaying the adversary who aimed for you. He would've had his chance to exploit my lady's vulnerable state had the light of the king not incapacitated him and drove him away."_

That meant only one thing for Riku: Ansem had attempted to usurp his body again, and he had killed Lexaeus without either him or Noir knowing it. Then that meant Lexaeus had been eliminated. But to hear that he would've attempted to do harm to Noir while she, too, was unconscious terrified him because he remembered fully well the hostility she had against Ansem, and he had implied some knowing of her when their paths first crossed. But since the king stopped him before he could do any more damage, that allowed him to regain control of his own body, and it allowed Noir to regain her senses long enough to recognize that something happened, leaving her Guardian to fill her in on the events that transpired first as she checked in on Riku's wellbeing.

"I'm so sorry about this, Riku. I wasn't able to help you that time," Noir apologized shamefully, "I've badly underestimated Lexaeus's strength, and look where that landed us."

He just shrugged. "It's not like it could be helped. Neither of us expected him to still put up a fight, let alone knock us out."

She nodded in agreement. "Still…it bothers me that he and Vexen are involved with something in this castle. I don't have a clear understanding about what happened to them, and neither of us knows exactly what they're after. It's a bit disturbing. And that's not even mentioning how both of them seemed interested in the latent darkness that lurks inside you. Do they have no understanding of what perils you've been through because of that monster?"

"I'm starting to wonder about that myself," Riku agreed, "If there are others like those two, then that person would have more answers to what their plan is than we know now."

This much is true; if Vexen and Lexaeus weren't too keen on indulging them with information on what their true intentions are with Riku, chances are they were hiding something they don't want Riku or Noir to take advantage of. If that's the case, then just what is it they're hiding from them? There had to be somebody who carries the most knowledge on the bigger picture of the schemes going on from the shadows. Really, it almost felt like they're in the middle of a tale of intrigue, but the both of them are not well-equipped to know what the bigger picture is since the people who are in the know are not giving them any significant clues to go by. It's a bit frustrating, now that they think about it, more so than Ansem bullying Riku into playing the puppet all over again.

Thankfully, Tenebrae diverted their attention with a word of warning. _"Though it is quiet for a time, it won't remain this way. Rest while you can. There is no knowing what the next threat will be past this hall."_

"Well, considering all we've been through, it would be best if we caught our breath before we go anywhere," Noir couldn't agree more about it.

Riku gave her a weird look. "What are you talking about? I'm not too tired."

But Noir wouldn't have any of it. "Nonsense, Riku. Lexaeus gave us quite a hard time once we encountered him. The least you could do is give yourself time to recover before you decide to do anything rash that would make your situation even worse."

"What are you, my mother?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, but someone has to fill in that part," she insisted sternly, "I don't care how tough or strong you think you are, but if you don't allow yourself even a little rest, you'll only be more unprepared for any future confrontations. And you don't want to end up unconscious like before, now don't you?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing from her. Was she seriously scolding him for being too confident, and did she really starting acting more and more like a mom right now? It's almost like she's treating him like a troublemaker, and insisting he should know better. He couldn't remember how long it's been since he was ever treated this way by his own mother, but he didn't imagine that he'd be on the receiving end of being chastised by someone who sounds like she's been in the parental territory before. He hated to think of who had been around her before he ever came to know her.

 _'_ _What would Sora and Luna think if they heard her scold me like this?'_ he wondered to himself.


	27. Chapter 26: Castle Oblivion and Axel

**Soooo...did someone want a Medea surprise a la Axel?**

 **Hello, everyone. Lilith here.**

 **Well, here we are. We're about to wrap up the Sora side of the deal, and then we'll be heading back into Riku's territory to complete the CoM storyline. I just have to deal with the Marluxia business, and then get a move on.**

 **I hope you like this chapter. It's longer than the last.**

 **So without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To Guest: Thanks for talking with me regarding TV tropes. I'll definitely pin a note on it until I'm sure I want to give it a shot. That said, I recall you asked what the series as whole would be called? Well, thanks to a chat with my consultant, I came to the agreement that I probably would call the series Eclipsed Hearts, if mostly because a small lunar motif I have peeking out time to time. Also...those suggestions on potential voice actors...I couldn't help chuckling at some of the choices. Granted, I may not know all of the listed voice actors, but I can see where you're coming from with the simplistic details of character types said actor/actress played. Now then, about the matters regarding The Jungle Book - I'm sad to say that when I was last offered the suggestion by another follower, I had a talk with my consultant about it, and after recalling the premise behind it and the contents in it, I'm sad to say that we concluded some time ago that it wouldn't work out too well. I apologize in advance for disappointing you about it. Lastly, regarding the matters with Xion, I think Luna and her current companions would probably see her the same way as Roxas does not long after meeting her (probably after what he says about her). Does that work?**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 26: Castle Oblivion and Axel

After everything that had happened, it felt so exhilarating for Sora and Luna to meet up with Donald and Goofy again after the problems that went down a floor prior. Jiminy had also done well for them because he did as she instructed him, and it allowed their friends enough time to come to their aid when Larxene was about to do her work. Of course, that didn't automatically mean a certain someone was off the hook just yet; not long after a heartwarming reunion, Donald didn't pull any punches on calling out Sora for his behavior earlier, and admonished him for giving Luna a lot of trouble while they weren't around. Sora apologized many times for his transgressions and reasoned that Medea had already given him a harsh reprimanding (although he didn't deny that her explosive temper scared him a bit), so the duck didn't have to repeat the exact same thing she had done with him. Regardless, the whole party is back together again, but there are still some loose ends that need to be tied in this castle.

For Namine and Nero, even though Larxene had been defeated, the hellish ordeal that transpired while she was here still shook them to the core. Namine had thrown a wrench into the plans of the people who tried to use her against Sora and Luna, and even now she has no idea how much trouble she's given them; though, she has no doubt that there will be someone who will not tolerate insubordination. In Nero's case, he felt like a weight had been placed on his shoulders, the guilt and shame that filled his every being sinking to the pit of his stomach; he knew that he had royally messed things up in a lot of things, and he has a lot to answer for as soon as Sora and Luna's friends get the chance to speak with him.

Goofy took the initiative in talking to Namine as he began introductions. "You must be Namine! It's good to meet ya. We're friends of Sora and Luna, and my name is –"

"You're Goofy and you're Donald," Namine finished like she already knew their names.

"Yeah, but how did you know that?" Donald wondered.

"Congratulations, Sora! You finally found your friend," Goofy cheered, "I'm so happy for ya!"

But Sora didn't seem to share the same sentiments; now that he knows the reality of the relations he thought he had, he no longer felt as pleased with himself as he should. Luna could easily understand that, considering she now knows Nero had been lying to her about himself as well; she wasn't happy about the deception – and she still isn't – but what she now wanted to know was why he lied to her and what drove him to do so.

"Gee, there sure are a lot of questions…" Jiminy said, sensing there's something wrong with the situation. "Namine, I know this probably won't be easy for ya…but could ya tell us what happened?"

She looked up a moment before hanging her head sadly. "Of course. It's my fault, after all."

From there, Namine confessed as to what really went on throughout the castle, and how their memories were trifled with without most of them even knowing it since they first arrived at the door. Nero simply listened on in silence for a bit, knowing that he would be next on the interrogation since he's involved in the whole mess.

"I took the people and memories that were inside Sora's and Luna's hearts," Namine explained, "and little by little, I replaced them with false memories."

"Hey… What about Sora's promise?" Donald asked.

"Made up," she replied, "It was fake. Sora never really promised me anything. Me being with him on the islands – that was a lie, just like everything else. We never met. I never was Sora's friend, nor was I Luna's friend or sister –"

"And you were anything more…either…" Sora finished, knowing the result.

"You never knew about me being ill either, is that also correct?" Luna guessed.

"Not as well as I should've, Luna," Namine answered her. She looked to both of them. "You see, in all your true memories, I was never really there."

"Gee, then that must mean it was your magic that made us lose our memories, too," Jiminy had reason to believe. "Is there any way for us to get 'em back?"

"I can fix everything if we go to the thirteenth floor," Namine replied. "But Marluxia, he –"

The cricket had some suspicion on the identity. "Bet I know who that is. Was he the fellah who made you tamper with our memories?"

"The very same," Nero finally spoke up.

That got Goofy wondering something… "Say, Nero, were you involved with Namine and had to do some tampering under that guy's orders, too?"

He turned away shamefully. "…I was."

That got Donald's feathers ruffled for a moment. "I knew it! I knew there was something fishy about you since you first showed up! You were trying to do something to Luna all along, weren't you? I bet ya thought she'd be easy pickings compared to Sora! What'd ya hope to get out her like you did?"

"The only reason I lied was because Marluxia wanted me to bring Luna to him," Nero replied defensively, "He's wanted her just as much as Sora. And besides, if anyone else tried to chase her down, she would've tried to escape them at the first chance."

"If we didn't obey, he said we'd be locked in this castle forever," Namine added. "I've been alone for so long…and Nero…he's been treated unfairly ever since he was created…"

That raised a brow for Luna and Medea. Nero was created? Is that the reason for his nearly identical appearance to Terra? That partially answered the question as to what he is compared to what he told them before. But it still does leave a lot more questions that need answering, and it's possible that their answers can only come from the people who orchestrated the trap in Castle Oblivion.

"So ya did what he told ya to because you were lonely?" Goofy asked her.

Nero shrugged his shoulders. "If that's what you think, I won't say anything against it."

Namine hung her head sadly. "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be. Please don't cry…" Sora said to her, feeling pity for her.

"Oh… Of course. I know I really don't have the right to," she answered.

"That's not what I meant!" Sora disagreed on it.

That puzzled her. "What?"

"It's like this…" Sora replied, clarifying what he meant. "I'm not really happy with you messing with my memories. But…you know – I can't really get mad at you for it, either. These memories you gave me… In my head, I know they're lies – but they still feel right. Like the promise I made. I said I would protect you, and I would never make you cry…not ever. Namine, if you cry…I'll feel guilty, like I let you down. So don't cry…please. Until I get my memories back, smile and try to be happy. It's easier on me that way."

She had no idea what to say about it. "Sora…"

Donald gave a sigh of disbelief. "Oh, brother! That's a bit much."

"It's okay," Goofy assured in a teasing tone, "Sora always gets like this when he's around a girl!"

"Aw, cut it out!" Sora interjected in embarrassment. "I thought you both lost your memories, too!"

"You brought it on yourself, kid," Medea retorted, "At least my master has her head straightened out completely without those pesky locks on her memories."

"Not you, too, Medea!" he complained.

The duck snickered mischievously. "Too bad. Good friends don't forget the good stuff!"

"Sadly, I have to agree with them. I've been around you long enough to know how you act around certain people," Luna admitted sheepishly.

As Sora gave a defeated sigh, there were chuckles to be heard in the hall from around the group. In fact, even Namine couldn't help giggling at the humorous antics while Nero struggled to hold back his laughter (probably because he had no idea when he had ever laughed about something funny). With the former, Sora heard it, and couldn't help feeling a satisfied smile cross his face at seeing exactly the emotions he wanted to see out of the girl he chased after.

"There! That's it! That's the Namine I remember," he said happily. "Yeah…I really liked it when you used to smile. Of course, that was only in my fake memories. But what I'm feeling now definitely isn't fake. It's real."

Namine felt moved by the sincerity. "Thank you."

"Well, then, let's go," Sora said, determined to settle the score once and for all.

"Oh, boy! I can't wait to get my memories back!" Donald cheered excitedly.

"Namine, Marluxia is gonna be up there, so maybe you'd better stay down here," Goofy suggested.

"Yeah. Maybe you could look after Riku?" Sora requested. "We'll come get you when this is over."

Even though it made her stomach churn on hearing his name after learning that the Riku they've encountered was only a replica, Luna had reason to believe that Sora stuck with it because he still has no knowledge to the real Riku's whereabouts. And besides, after what happened, there's not much they do for the other Riku still paralyzed and motionless. Only Namine can look after him by this point.

"Okay," Namine promised.

"Then let's get a move on," Medea urged them on. "I wanna rip a weed out from the root up."

But then, Goofy turned to Nero and asked, "Hey, Nero, are you coming with us?"

His response is to turn away before answering, "Not right now. I…I need some time to think things over. Besides, I don't want to make more trouble for you guys."

It wasn't too hard to translate what he meant to say. After all the deception he pulled on someone else's behalf, he didn't feel comfortable traveling any further with them. He knew he had done some serious damage on gaining Luna's trust, and he angered her Guardian for lying about himself repeatedly. How could he so easily repair the damage he had done? Worse still, he failed in many categories, as a person, as a brother, and as a comrade. Now that his lies have been shattered by Namine and Luna now knows the truth, there's no way he wanted to face the people who had sent him out to lure Sora and Luna to the man in charge.

"Then you can watch over Namine," Sora suggested like there's an easy solution. "She'd be safer with you."

"…Sure," Nero agreed reluctantly.

As the rest of the party started to leave for the thirteenth floor, Namine had one last thing to say before they left.

"Sora, Luna, please be careful," she pleaded.

Sora gave a confident smile. "We'll come back for you…I promise."

"Don't worry, Namine. I'll make sure we reach Marluxia sooner than later," Luna promised.

With Namine staying behind for her safety and Nero not willing to accompany them the rest of the way, it left Sora and Luna and their unwavering companions to make their way through the thirteenth floor and locate the whereabouts of Marluxia. There are a lot of reasons to be worried about confronting him, especially considering what they barely know about him. For one thing, he's the man who gave them trouble from the moment they stepped inside the castle. Secondly, he was the man responsible for using Namine and Nero to mess with their memories, and to lure them into a dangerous trap against their will without them knowing it initially. And finally, he wanted Sora and Luna for some reason, and they want to know what it is he hoped to gain from the two while they're here in the castle. Perhaps their abilities might be the reason behind the manipulations he orchestrated.

* * *

Despite these pressing concerns, there are still some matters that Sora still has trouble trying to get around. Now that he knows the truth behind the memories and the relations he had with Namine, he still had problems trying to remember what he knew before. Even as he looked at the seashell charm, he couldn't feel anything come out of his mind; it's too muddled for him to even string together a thought on the person who gave him the charm in the first place.

"Who was it? Who's most important to me?" Sora asked aloud. He tried and tried to dig in his mind for answers, but… "Nothing…"

Luna, hearing him in his disappointment, couldn't help feeling terrible for what Sora has to deal with now. Though she has her memories back, it hurts her that Sora hasn't been regaining his real memories, and the false memories are preventing him from getting his head together.

Donald and Goofy noticed the melancholy distress, and turned back to check in on them to make sure things are okay.

"Can't you remember?" Donald asked in concern.

"No, I only remember Namine," Sora replied glumly, "C'mon, do you guys remember anything at all?"

The duck sighed sadly. "No. Sorry, Sora. It's important, but I just can't remember… I don't want to be, but I'm getting scared."

"I wish I could tell you guys something that would help," Luna admitted, "but if I did, I'm sure none of you would be able to understand what I'm talking about."

Even Medea felt bad for the boys. "Damn, I guess what you boys are going through now is a lot worse than I thought. And it sure as hell ain't because you're all being idiots. It's the damn castle and the peeps that exploited this place and those two playthings that made a much bigger mess than we can clean up."

That's when Goofy got an idea. "Then we should really make a promise!"

Everyone turned to the knight, confused about what he was talking about. But he wasn't fazed by it; he carried on with what he had in mind to say.

"What you said back there kinda got my brain a-thinkin'," Goofy continued, "Whenever you make a promise that's super-duper big, maybe it gives ya the courage to face the scary stuff!"

"Courage…" Sora liked the sound of the thought.

Donald raised a feathered hand out. "Even if we get scared, or in trouble – or even if we get separated –"

"Or even if we sorta forget each other –" Goofy added as he raised a hand.

"Whatever happens – we're friends," Sora finished jovially.

"As friends, we should stick together through thick and thin," Luna agreed.

"Well, we got this far, for better or worse," Medea agreed with her.

All five of them put their hands together as Donald wrapped it up with the line, "All for one and one for all!"

Their resolve renewed, Sora and Luna shared looks that let each other know that they still have what it takes to get through the castle despite the derailments they've been through. It had been a rough ride through the halls of Castle Oblivion, but now that they and their companions are back together, they know they can conquer the castle and put an end to the machinations of Marluxia once and for all.

* * *

Of course, considering that they have finally reached the thirteenth floor, it didn't necessarily mean that the route to finding and taking down Marluxia is going to be a walk in the park. The Heartless this time around are running around rampant, and they are tougher than the last (but at least, not in comparison to the colossal Heartless that they've faced). Perhaps the leader of the group is purposefully trying to stall them with the Heartless, or he wants to test their strengths further before he decides whether to stick with his agenda.

Regardless, Donald and Goofy's aid made taking down the Heartless much easier for them in the long run thanks to their combined efforts in their skills. Sora and Luna's efforts still amounted to something for them, with Sora's keyblade still wiping out Heartless that spawned from anywhere and Luna's Shadow Hands reaching around the halls for any stragglers to remove out of the picture. Even better, Medea really helped them plow through the Heartless like grass to a lawn mower, which helped her a lot since she's now able to move around anywhere without any restraints put on her.

Sora actually noticed this and asked, "Hey, Medea, are you actually acting with us on equal ground?"

"Why do ya ask?" the Guardian questioned him.

Luna turned to her friend, confused. "Did I miss something after I was knocked out?"

That was when he remembered that Luna had been momentarily incapacitated by Larxene, leaving her Guardian to hurry to her defense. He recalled very well what happened; one moment, Medea returned to her master's shadow as she would do since she was bound to Luna, and the next she went on the offensive without showing any restraints on her whatsoever. It was a bit terrifying to watch, but he couldn't clearly understand what went on that allowed Medea to move so freely. Though…looking back on their ventures up the floor, he could've sworn that he watched her moving more and more independently as time went on. What happened to make this possible?

"Yeah…uh, something happened in the fight that let Medea cut loose and put Larxene in her place," Sora replied nervously. "Any idea what could've happened to cause that?"

Medea shrugged her shoulders like she doesn't care. "I don't know. And honestly, I don't care right now. We still have a bad flower to uproot, y'know?"

"I'm sure we'll figure it out eventually," Luna assured with certainty. "We don't have to think about it until after we're done here."

Luna had a very good point right there. Any mystery that hasn't been addressed can wait a while until important matters have been settled. Besides, it's not like one of their friends is going to walk off on them before they can find the answers they're looking for.

* * *

"You don't have to stay here, you know."

Upon hearing her say this, Nero looked up at Namine, who is tending to the still cataleptic form of the copied Riku. At first, he didn't understand what she meant, but then it hit him she meant about letting the others go on ahead while he was too full of shame and humiliation at the lies he weaved. For once, he didn't feel too eager at the prospect of following alongside Sora and Luna, not after everything he had done to compromise their already difficult situation.

"How could I keep going with them, after everything I did?" Nero replied with a question of his own. "You know what I've done. I've been leading Sora on to you, and I've lied about everything to Luna. Even after all the hell I've been through with those people…how could I possibly face someone I was told to call my sister, knowing she isn't mine to begin with?"

Namine thought about it a moment before she gave a suggestion. "You could start by telling her the truth. I have told them everything already…even though it hurt to do so. The least you could do is put Luna's mind to rest. Then…maybe she'd be willing to talk with you again."

He knew she is right. He should've made it easier for himself and just told the truth to Luna, even if it gives him more shame and pushes her further away from him. And besides, he should've known better about what she's been through, considering how she didn't shy away from mentioning the unpleasant parts of her past and confessed what she remembered thanks to the unexpected restoration of her memories.

"I don't know. Even if I do come clean, I don't know what –" Nero started to give his answer.

But the sound of flashes of energy interrupted the conversation. When Nero's gaze locked ahead of him, his body tensed as he recognized the person who arrived to greet him. Fearing what may happen; he rose from the floor and grabbed hold of his broadsword…

* * *

"I just can't shake off the feeling that we'll be seeing Axel again," Medea said out of the blue.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we do," Luna confessed, "He's been pretty busy since he last saw him."

While things were momentarily quiet, the girls ended up engaged in a conversation about what they might be expecting once they get past the Heartless. The first thing that crossed Medea's mind is the thought of encountering Axel. The two ladies had experienced firsthand the fickle nature of the redhead – first fighting the party upon first meeting them, then giving them pointers about the castle, and then killing off one of the people in the black coats who might as well be a colleague. And that's not even mentioning the conversation the girls privately had with him before he left. The last one, though, was a frustrating moment for them; he implied directly that he knew something that they didn't, but he refused to tell them what exactly it is he knows regarding the goings-on in the castle. It's like he's deliberately playing a joke on them, and yet he was honest enough to tell them to keep moving through Castle Oblivion in exchange for the secret information he's holding back from them.

"I still remember what he said before," Luna said, "He implied that he saw someone else enter the castle besides us. But he said that he would only tell us everything if we made progress inside the castle."

"And then there's the matters of some of those guys dogging ya at every turn," Medea added, "I don't know what the hell their deal is, but it sounds like those jerks are after more than just Sora's keyblade. At least with the emo and the cockroach, they implied that their boss also had his eyes dead set on you. But with the latter, she said that Marluxia's got his eyes on ya, too – and I'm pretty damn sure it's not for the same reason as their boss."

"That's true. Some of them have told me they've searched for me for nine years," she agreed worriedly, "I can't imagine why their leader tried so hard to find me. What could he possibly want?"

"Hell if I know," Medea answered.

"What're you two talking about?"

In the middle of their conversation, Sora unexpectedly walked in on them, having unknowingly overheard their discussions with each other. The girls looked at each other with unease, knowing that the jig was almost up; if he started to ask questions, it would be very difficult to avoid them or to divert his attention from the subject.

"Did you hear what we said?" Luna asked him, if only to know what he knew.

"Kinda. I thought I heard you talking about something," Sora replied, "but maybe I was imagining things."

"Nah, you weren't imagining things," Medea told him.

"We were just wondering aloud what Marluxia might be trying to gain out of us," Luna explained, "There has to be a motive behind the trouble he orchestrated on us, or else we wouldn't have been lured here in the first place."

Sora shrugged his shoulders, not knowing the answer. "Well, he did sound interested in us, that I'm sure of. Why exactly…I wish I knew better." But then, he had a small thought cross his mind. "Though…there is something I would like to know about. You remember when we first met Axel? Just as we went up the stairs, you and Medea were held up for some reason. Maybe I'm being a little too nosy, but what really happened between you two after we first met Axel? Was he bothering you just for his own fun?"

Those questions warned the girls the jig was finally up. They thought they had pacified the boys with explanations that Axel was deliberately messing with them after they had fought him; but it seems like somebody is having second thoughts and suspected something else went down behind their backs. Perhaps their later encounters with the two-faced redhead didn't help their case. And that's not even mentioning how he spoke specifically to the girls like he knew them somewhere before. If that's the case, then they'd better make it easy for themselves and just come clean with what they actually knew.

"Alright, alright, he wasn't simply screwing with our heads," Medea replied in exasperation. "He wanted to have a little chat with us before we continued through the castle floors."

"Well…when you boys were out of sight, Axel wanted to talk with us, and he said that he saw someone else enter the castle before we did," Luna confessed, "something that the host forgot to mention. But…he refused to tell us anything about the other person until we've progressed through the castle."

That baffled Sora for a moment. "Really? I thought we're the only ones who got here."

"Yeah, well, that's where our gossip runs short," Medea grumbled. "Though, I know for sure my master and I are gonna grill him for every info we can get outta him."

* * *

Further down the hall, Marluxia was making his way through when, just as he was about to reach the door, he heard the rush of energy behind him. That warned him he's not alone, and he has a strong suspicion just who it could be – especially since one of their colleagues had already been eliminated by the Keyblade wielder and the Shadow Mage.

"You have some nerve to show your treasonous face around here," Marluxia said with a stained tone, "some nerve indeed –"

"Treasonous? I don't know what you could possibly be talking about," Axel interrupted, trying to play dumb.

The castle leader turned around, facing the traitor with contempt. "Why let Namine go? If it weren't for your needless meddling, we could have turned the Keyblade master to come and serve us. What's more, we could have used the Shadow Mage as leverage once she's broken enough to be subdued."

"Ohh, right, your big plan," the redhead answered sarcastically, "You use Namine to rewrite Sora's and Luna's memory piece by little piece. In the meantime, use Nero to lock up any pesky memory Luna might use to save her sanity. And they turn into their total puppets. Then, using Namine and Sora alongside Nero and Luna, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Am I right?" The sight of Marluxia's hand twitching slightly confirmed what Axel suspected. "I would say that YOU are the traitor, Marluxia."

"Since when were you suspicious of us?" Marluxia asked icily.

"Do either one of us have a heart to believe anyone?" Axel questioned mockingly.

Somehow, Marluxia had always thought there was something a little off; but he didn't think that their own group would actually suspect something about him and Larxene behind their backs. He had to admit, Axel being there certainly threw a wrench in the plans.

The schemer let out a small 'hm'. "So you only eliminated Vexen to obtain proof of our plan?"

"That, I didn't want to do, but it was your order." With a flick of his hands, Axel conjured his chakrams to him and readied himself for a confrontation. "Remember the order: 'You must eliminate the traitor.'. I always follow orders, Marluxia."

From that point on, it became clear to the real traitor that he had finally been caught red-handed, and now he's about to be sentenced to death at the hands of the Organization's designated assassin. What an irony, considering how he had labeled Vexen as a traitor just to keep him from spilling any sensitive information. He should've known that there was something amiss among the group long before Sora and his companions arrived at Castle Oblivion…

* * *

As they progressed deeper through the halls, something started giving Sora and Luna unnerving chills down their spines. It wasn't the fear of what they might be going up against; it felt more like they sense something big is going down further inside the white corridors. Is there about to be more Heartless, or is there about to be a fight somewhere further down? Given how many of those enemies in the coats they've encountered – and eliminated - so far, perhaps there's a dispute going on between them, and they're about to walk right in the middle of it without even realizing it.

"Sora, I have a bad feeling about this," Luna said worriedly.

"I'm getting that feeling, too," Sora agreed, "Marluxia might be there. If we get there fast enough, we might be able to get at him while we have the chance."

Thinking of every possible scenario, the party immediately began booking it through the halls, mowing down Heartless that tried to get in their way, hoping there may be a chance to reach their main target before anything else goes horribly wrong. But none of them would figure what exactly would be waiting for them once they found Marluxia.

* * *

"Larxene paid the price for disloyalty when she disappeared," Axel continued to speak. "You must do the same!"

Right at that moment, Axel made his charge against Marluxia, who had by that point brandished his scythe, attempting to land hits on him. It was to no avail because Marluxia acted quick and evaded each strike at every chance he got, subsequently trying to give himself more space between them. As soon as he was far enough away, though, Axel already threw his chakrams out to go for a double kill; but the schemer reacted quickly enough to use the rod of the scythe as a defensive protection against the assault of the chakrams. Because of this, the blades were forced to return to their owner, but he isn't about ready to give up on the mission yet. No, he's about ready to try again and terminate the target at any cost.

"The Organization's betrayed. In that name, I will annihilate you," Axel pronounced the sentence.

Marluxia was unimpressed. "That line's not you."

"Well, had to try it once, you know," the redhead joked like he was just playing.

But he wasn't really joking around when Axel launched another attack. However, this time, Marluxia decided to stop playing innocent and got to work to retaliate. In a blink he flashed into another position and took a few swings of the scythe, attempting to cut down the assassin just as Axel made a few moves of his own just to avoid losing his limbs. Both clashed in their path, but neither was able to successfully land a hit, though they did return to where they've each stood before the confrontation began. Marluxia then took one large swing of the scythe, unleashing a powerful force Axel meant for a one-hit knockout. But Axel acted quickly, holding his chakrams up like shields as he braced against the force of dangerous energy that emanated from the blade's deathly beam.

Once the beam subsided, though, Marluxia had one more card to play when he used his powers to summon to him a frightened and visibly shaking Namine, who he had taken as leverage against his opponent. Axel, partly unimpressed at the cheap shot taken to stop him from attacking, couldn't help shaking his head in disbelief.

"Is that your shield?" he asked, "Won't do you any good, I'm afraid."

"I wonder," Marluxia commented, looking ahead of him. "Are you listening, Sora? Luna?"

From the corner of his eye, Axel saw that Sora and Luna had arrived on the scene with their companions. But oddly, Nero is nowhere within sight. Not that it mattered to him right now, since it seemed they'd been caught having a heated argument with an unwanted hostage caught in the crossfire.

"Oh?" Axel wondered.

"Axel says he's willing to harm Namine to get me," Marluxia lied callously. "You won't let that happen, will you?"

"More of that crap? Your nonsense has already been exposed, you moron!" Medea rebuked irritably.

The only thing on Sora's mind is Namine is under threat. Whether or not it's because of Marluxia or Axel, he didn't like where it's going in the slightest; he simply readied his keyblade for a fight. Luna acted more reluctant about it, most likely she already knows that somebody is trying to toy with them even after the truth has been exposed to them.

Axel sighed in annoyance about this. "Oh, come now. You're Marluxia's puppet already?"

"After I finish you, he's next!" Sora declared.

Marluxia seemed to be a little too eager that things are going his way; he doesn't seem to care that he's only put a bigger target on his back because of his dirty tactics.

Axel, knowing he's not going to be able to bail, opted to just roll with it. "Now, you two. We've got more in common than you think. I'd really rather not fight you… But I can't dishonor the Organization, now can I?"

Luna, however, had other ideas. "You have information I want, and I will get it out of you."

"My sentiment exactly," Medea agreed as she readied her claws.

If they thought the fight they had with Axel was trouble enough, it didn't take long for the party to learn the hard way he had taken the gloves off on them. This time around, he's turning up the heat and catching them in the middle of a wildfire; and this wildfire has plenty of new tricks to keep the team on their toes.

One of the new tricks up his sleeves is when he would appear to be throwing out one of his chakrams at his targets, but then would promptly teleport to one of them and attempt to perform a sneak attack. At first, Sora was a little unprepared for it because he felt like he's almost tricked into thinking a direct approach came his way; to keep himself standing strong, he had to stay on the move just to make sure he didn't get caught off-guard by an attack from anywhere around him. But when it came to any moments Axel approached up close and personal, at least Sora is able to keep him at bay until he can find an opening to attack him. But even then, he had to be careful since the fiery redhead is not playing around with his techniques, especially when he switches on the flames for additional damage.

Donald and Goofy had a harder time being able to handle Axel's assaults, however, but it can't be helped given their opponent. In fairness, Goofy was at the very least able to use his shield to the best of his ability to repel the fires that ran rampant around the area, especially to ensure his friends aren't so easily burned. But Donald, on the flipside, suffered serious limitations with the use of his magic; he was forced to stick with Blizzard spells for offense with dashes of healing spells in case somebody got scorched or sliced up by the blades of the chakrams.

"If this fire keeps up, I'm gonna be roast duck for sure!" Donald complained as he kept shooting ice spells all around.

"Really? You look okay to me," Goofy answered, completely missing the point.

"That's not the point!" the duck squawked angrily. "We gotta get that fire under control!"

In the middle of the chaos, there are occasions when Axel used his usual trick of the trade and unleashed his fire wall to torch anyone dumb enough to not prepare any defenses against it. But luckily for the party, Luna made full use of her Shadow Hands through thick and thin, keeping the redhead on his toes as each Hand gave chase to him in every possible direction while trying to tame the flames with ice magic simultaneously. Of course, it didn't necessarily mean that he's having a hard time keeping her on edge as well, more so since he knows how to effectively use his weapons as deterrents to keep her from keeping too much distance from him. That left her little other options than to watch her back from time to time, if just to avoid having serious injuries inflicted from behind.

"So, how's your walk through memory lane been?" Axel asked her like he's just having a talk over tea. "I hope you've been a good girl while you were with Sora."

"It would've been better if we didn't have memory problems to worry about," Luna replied while she evaded a flaming chakram. "But what I'd like to know is what information you're hiding. You said so yourself, you won't tell me who else is here until I've continued traversing through the castle."

"Oh, yeah, I did say that, didn't I?" the redhead answered, acting like he had almost forgot (when he really didn't). "Well, it's a good thing I held back until I made some investigations… Oh, man, if only you got to see how that lady showed what she's capable of! Hard to believe her power was so similar to yours. It's almost like seeing double, expect one is clearly a grown adult while you're still only a child in comparison."

That little detail startled Luna quite a bit. "A lady with powers similar to mine…?"

But she didn't get the chance to ask any more questions when the chakrams suddenly started flying around the room, homing in on anyone within reach to shred apart. This forced Luna to pull double duty with her Hands just to keep her friends from being torn up by the flaming blades; the most Sora and the others had to do is do whatever they can just to keep the fire at bay and keep themselves from taking too much of a beating.

That's when Medea jumped right in the middle of the fray in full force, her claws sharp and ready to cut through their opponent at the first opportunity. Claws clashed violently against chakrams as both she and Axel kept crossing each other's paths, each matching one another blow for blow with little results. But while the Guardian is hell-bent on maintaining any unrelenting strikes on him, the red-headed assassin didn't appear to be behaving the same way as she is; it's like he's having a ball with someone who doesn't want to let up on being the tougher fighter regardless of differences in individual strengths.

"Getting all pumped up to beat Marluxia, my dear?" Axel teased her.

"I damn straight would've ripped him a new one if he wasn't runnin' away like a cowardly jackass," Medea retorted. "I've half a mind to tear off his smug face before I turn him into mincemeat!"

The redhead chuckled, amused at her temper. "Good to know. That gives me just one loose end to take care of before I bail."

The Guardian pulled a perplexed face. "What the hell you –"

Nobody really noticed what exactly happened, but when Medea least expected it, Axel pulled a fast one on her and seized a window of opportunity to pull her in close enough to leave a brief peck to her lips before he broke off to keep up the fight. This one little choice of action caught the Guardian off-guard so badly that she could only drop to the floor dumbstruck while her face turned a beet red and her hands clutched to her mouth in utter shock. She could only hope nobody saw him do this, or else certain members of the team would be asking a lot of questions that not even she could easily provide an explanation for if presented the chance to come clean about it.

Fortunately, nobody paid attention long enough for the fight to wrap up with Sora charging in to lay the beating on Axel while Luna applied her Shadow Hands as a method to close in on him until he has almost nowhere to run. Several barrages of blade and spells afterwards, their opponent seemed to be worn down, but strangely not enough to be disappearing into nothing like the rest of the enemies they've encountered thus far. If anything, he felt satisfied that he got another chance to duke it out with them before he had to skip town – not that a certain keyblade wielder had to know that.

"You're better than I thought you'd be," Axel commented, almost praising their efforts. "It was worth saving you two after all."

Luna grew confused about it. "Did he just say…?"

"Saving us? What d'ya mean?" Sora wanted to know.

Axel only gave a sardonic chuckle. "Sorry, I would hate to kill the suspense."

"Axel!" Sora called, trying to reach to him.

But it was too late. He had already disappeared in a swirl of darkness, nowhere to be found. Now only Sora, Luna and their friends are the only ones in the hall. Not helping matters is that Marluxia had already left with Namine as the hostage, no doubt using her to lure them to where he is.

"Now Marluxia's the only one left," Donald said, still pumped for a fight.

"Then let's get after him!" Sora agreed, ready to chase after the troublemaker.

But something worried Luna. "Wait, Sora! We saw Marluxia have Namine with him…but where's Nero?"

"She's right. Shouldn't Nero be with Namine, before she was snatched?" Goofy agreed, wondering what happened.

It didn't take Sora long to put two and two together. "You're right. He stayed behind with her, last we saw him." A sense a dread crept in his system. "You don't think Marluxia had something to do with it, do you?"

"After what you saw, it should be a yes, wouldn't it?"

Everyone abruptly turned around to see Nero arrive on the scene. However, it didn't take long for Sora and Luna to realize that something is wrong about him. He looked like he had been in a rough skirmish, given how his broadsword is chipped in a few places and he has a scar across the right side of his face which hadn't fully healed; even his clothes sustained some damage from something cutting through them, revealing the extent of his actual injuries are.

Sora was aghast at the sight. "Did Marluxia do this to you?"

Nero sighed shamefully. "He knew what happened. He hated what Namine had done to sabotage his plans, so he came to take her back so he could get her under his control again. Even worse, he found out that I had failed in bringing Luna to him. I tried to stop him, protect Namine from him, but…well…you can already guess from the wounds I received because of him."

That explained everything. And it gave Sora all the more reason to be angry at Marluxia; now that he knows who is the person truly causing all of Namine's misery and making his and Luna's journey through the castle a living hell, he wants to see that monster punished for all the pain he had inflicted on all of them. Even Luna shared the same sentiment about it; as much as she hates Nero for what he did to her, she hated that Marluxia is the one who operated the memory meddling from behind the scenes, and she hated that he made Nero's and Namine's life a living nightmare.

In fact, it convinced Luna to make an unthinkable decision. "Nero…if you really want to do something right, then the first thing I want you to do is to help us put a stop to Marluxia and make him pay for what he tried to do to us."

Nero looked at her, quite surprised about it. "You actually want my help?"

"But you have to promise that you'll tell me the truth about yourself once we're done," she added as her condition.

He sighed knowingly. "Alright…I'll come clean after Marluxia is gone."

"Glad to have you back on board!" Goofy cheered.

"Let's go!" Sora goaded everyone along as he hurried ahead. "We've got a mess to clean up."

"We're right behind you," Luna called, hurrying to keep up.

Donald stalled a moment to snap Medea to her senses. "Medea, come on! We gotta get after Marluxia!"

Instantly, Medea snapped out of her trance and answered quickly, "Alright, alright, I'm going already! Jeez, you're so pushy…"

Everyone started booking it out of the chamber as they followed Marluxia's trail, with Sora leading the charge and Luna leading the rest of the gang right behind them. There's nothing to stop them now, and now is the time for them to take the fight to the conniving schemer and put an end to his atrocities in Castle Oblivion once and for all; for Namine's sake, they have to put this conflict to rest so that nobody have to go through what she and Nero already have ever again.


	28. Chapter 27: Finale - Sora

**Hoo, boy!**

 **I finally wrapped up the Sora side of the story. Now I just have to fight through Riku's side of the story, and then be prepared for 358/2 Days. That's gonna be fun...**

 **So, without further ado, enjoy!**

 **To WilyGryphon: I'm glad you're enjoying my series so far. You'll know more about Nero's background in good time; I might delve into pieces while I'm still working on this. Why does Marluxia want Luna, you ask? Well, if you've read his interactions with child Luna in Scattered Hearts, you'd notice that he has a sick interest in her fragility. I wouldn't be surprised if it carried over to Namine. As for your world of choice...hmmm... I honestly never thought of Hocus Pocus. I'll have to do my homework on that movie.**

 **To Guest: I knew you wanted it to happen. Glad I delivered it.**

 **To Guest from 812: *facepalm* Sorry if I didn't make any sense. Tell you what: I'll worry about the details regarding Xion when I get to that, okay? Anyways, glad you like the name for the series as a whole. Also, I gotta admit, I was tickled pink when you actually put me on the fanfic recs on the Kingdom Hearts TV Tropes page! I loved it. Even my creative consultants were mighty impressed. Your love for the series is much appreciated.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 27: Finale - Sora

It didn't take too long or too much effort to find where Marluxia had gone, since he has Namine with him as his hostage. When the party finally caught up with him, they found him in a large decorated room at the end of the hall leading toward a large ornate door behind him. But he doesn't seem intent on fighting them – at least, not yet. Instead, the sadistic smile alerts that he intends to make one last gamble on Sora and Luna, especially with Namine and Nero nearby. What's more, their presence let him know that Axel is nowhere within sight – but does he really know what happened after he had left?

"You've defeated Axel," he praised indignantly. He chuckled, believing things have gone his way with Axel out of the picture. "The Keyblade's power – how I've longed to make it my own. And the Shadow Mage, the flower that bloomed against all odds – though your power is no laughing matter, I would've preferred if you were a little more docile in my hands, as you were nine years ago…"

Luna had no idea what he meant. "What are you talking about?"

"Let Namine go!" Sora demanded.

"You've no chance of winning," the pink-haired monster brushed the demands off. "Namine… Erase Sora's memory. Nero, lock away Luna's memory again."

A lot of gasps of shock and horror erupted through the room, with a little hint of anger at the disproportionate order given out. Just what on earth is he trying to order Namine and Nero to do? Is he seriously trying to regain control of the situation with more memory tampering, even after every little lie had been exposed and everybody knows what the real problem is about? Was he really that insane?

"What?!" Nero cried out in horror. "I can't do that!"

"But if I do that…" Namine knew what problem would surface.

"That's right. Sora's heart and Luna's mind would be destroyed," Marluxia answered like it's obvious.

That proved to be a terrifying thing for Luna to hear – and not to mention eerily familiar to her, at least with the latter. She had known her mind suffered serious enough damage to lose portions of her memories from her childhood up to arriving on the islands, but this? What this man is suggesting is just downright cruel! He might as well be ordering them to carry out an execution order on those who defied his expectations.

Goofy grew terrified. "His heart and her mind, destroyed?"

"You two can do that?" Donald asked in horror.

"Oh, hell, no! We've had enough damage around here!" Medea growled murderously.

"I'd have preferred them unmarred, but they can be rebuilt – more to my liking with time," the schemer continued callously. "Namine, Nero, do it."

But Namine became defiant. "No. Sora forgave me even I deceived him. So how could I destroy his heart? There's no way! I don't care what happens to me. I won't hurt Sora! I won't do it!"

"And besides, Luna's memory has already been unlocked, and I don't even know how it happened," Nero added as he stood to support Namine. "I can't redo everything that's already become undone, not while she now knows what you've been trying to pull! If you make me do one more thing to hurt Luna, then so help me I'll cut you down like the weed you are!"

Marluxia started seething angrily at their defiance. "Then you will –"

"Do it, Namine!" Sora interrupted.

Everyone turned to Sora in shock. Is he seriously telling Namine to mess with his memories again, after all he's been through? What sort of maddening idea crossed his mind to convince Namine to complete the damage he had already been going through due to her tampering?

Namine gasped in horror. "Sora?"

"I don't care! You can erase my memory," Sora insisted. "Just spare Luna if you can."

Goofy thought he was being crazy. "Sora, why'd ya say that?!"

"What are you doing?" Luna questioned worriedly. "Do you really want to hurt yourself more you already have been?"

"Because who will I look after if I don't have Namine?" Sora replied, "So just do it! Erase my memories. Destroy my heart. I promised! I'll always protect you! You have to believe in me!"

"Sora…"

"Are you nuts!? How the hell ya gonna function on your own?" Medea berated him like he's lost his mind.

"I don't need any memories to take down someone like Marluxia!" Sora answered confidently. "Right, Luna?"

"I don't know about not needing memories to fight someone," Luna gave her answer, "but I know that hate what he's done to give us problems. Honestly, it disgusts me what he did to try and mislead us in this place."

"You bet! Even if Sora forgets it all, or Luna starts forgetting all over again," Donald agreed with them, "Goofy and Medea and I won't forget!"

"Donald's right. They and I can remember everything for Sora and Luna!" Goofy seconded the agreement.

"See, I'll have all of my friends' memories, so I can piece my own together again!" Sora finished.

Nero looked over to Luna, knowing there's still the issue of him being forced to lock away her memories again, even though he insisted that what's been undone cannot be reset. But she was rather calm about it, and she seemed quite certain that whatever she's been through won't be repeated again.

"You don't have to do it, Nero. I've already had enough damage in my memory, and I've yet to recover my other memories," Luna assured him gently. "You don't want Marluxia to treat me like a flower he can just uproot by force, do you? At least you know better that I'm a person, and I have my fair share of scars that haven't healed yet. If you still want to be my brother, then I'll let you decide what you want to do with yourself. All I ask is that you don't make me go through another horrible thing that made me lose parts of my memory all over again…"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Is she actually granting him the choice of whether he wants to do the right thing or something he doesn't want to do? Is this a sign that she's trying to give him a chance to turn things around under the right parameters? It would appear so, since she implied that she's telling him he doesn't have to listen to Marluxia anymore, that he can determine his own fate at any given time. Maybe Namine was right: if he set himself straight, then Luna would be more open to allowing him into her life. He still has yet to come clean with her about himself, but now he feels more willing to keep breaking away from the troubles he's been through just to find a new connection…

"You ignorant fools. If Namine uses her power to erase Sora's memory, you'll be nothing more than an empty shell," Marluxia belittled them. "If Nero locks up Luna's memory, she will be no more than a broken-down doll. Just like Vexen's pathetic imitation of your Riku."

Just as he made mention of the replica, a voice rang out with menace at the perpetrator of the insult.

"Take another guess."

At first, nobody had a clue who spoke up and where it was coming from since they didn't see anyone else with them. But then, without warning, a portal formed above Sora and Luna's heads and – in a blink of an eye – the Riku replica emerged from the portal in a dive for Marluxia. This, thankfully, forced the schemer to get himself moving as quickly as possible so as to not get himself cut down too soon; in the midst of this, it gave Nero just enough time to grab up Namine and move her to safety. Sora and Luna and their friends couldn't help gaping in surprise at seeing their old enemy suddenly show up and take the fight to Marluxia. In fact, Marluxia himself was confounded that the very thing he had regarded with such disdain for is now here to oppose him as everyone else is.

"It can't be!" he hissed angrily.

"Wait, ain't that the –" Medea started to ask.

"Riku!" Sora interrupted in surprise.

"No. Just an imitation," the copycat corrected.

That sent a signal to Luna the replica now knows what he really is. He knows now that he isn't Riku, and could never match up to the real one. But then…why is here?

However, there wasn't any time to get answers because Marluxia has grown angrier at the fact that things are rapidly spiraling out of control and he can't do anything to prevent his plans form coming undone.

"You're a shell – a shell who has had everything taken! Everything!" he hissed bitterly.

"What can you possibly think I ever had?" the replica rebuked defiantly, "Both my body and my heart are fake. But…there is one memory I'll keep…even if it's just a lie! Whether it was a phantom promise or not…I will protect Namine and Luna!"

Oh…that's right. Luna almost forgot that the Riku replica still has his attachments to her and Namine. Though it saddens her that even he had been lied to, something about him adamantly willing to protect those he still believes he cares for does give her a little comfort. After all, even if the real Riku didn't know Namine, he would've done anything to support Luna.

By this point, Marluxia has had enough. "Imbeciles…"

He raised his arm high as a flower petal fluttered down to meet him. Once it did, the petal let loose a bursting flow of powerful energy as a pink and green scythe formed in his hand. With just a wave of his arm and scythe in hand, a rush of wind brushed around him as petals scattered him, their beauty belying a danger unseen to the untrained eyes. Now that everything has been unraveled, he saw no point in playing around with his targets anymore; no, this time, he's fully intent on cleaning up the mess once and for all.

"You would knowingly shackle your hearts with a chain of memories born of lies?" he questioned them with contempt, "You would be one who has a heart, yet cast aside your heart's freedom? You turn from the truth because your heart is weak. You will never defeat me!"

"Yeah? We'll see about that," Medea responded challengingly.

Needless to say, Marluxia definitely didn't pull any punches on them in the slightest. The gloves are off with him, and it shows with the tricks he pulls out from his sleeves to get even with his enemies.

Sora, Medea, and Goofy made up the primary offensive group aimed to keep the pressure on Marluxia so as to reduce his chances on taking a cheap shot at them. Even so, they can't afford to get too confident or else their enemy will take advantage of it. Key and claws clashed against scythe as the reaper took swings of his blade like a farmer to the harvest field, trying to cut down the overgrown pests that won't stay down. Not helping their situation is that when Marluxia is able to seize his chance, he doesn't hesitate to let loose from a distance with fissures that surged across the floor, forcing Sora and Goofy to stay on the move from ground level. Medea didn't have much of a problem taking to the air and closing in on him just to give him a hard time finding a reasonable distance. But the reaper had more tricks he's eager to play with for the intrepid opponents.

"Are you ready to scream?" Marluxia taunted as he readied a strike.

With a swing of his scythe, he summoned cyclones of petals that gave chase at anyone within range, which caught the offensive team off-guard and trapped them in the thorny vortex. Luckily for them, their rescue came in the form of Luna's Shadow Hands grabbing them out of the cyclones and moving them out of range.

"Thanks, Luna!" Sora called out appreciatively.

"Just be more careful, it's all I ask," Luna replied as she repositioned her Hands.

Speaking of which, Luna provided a lot of different ranges with her Hands, keeping Marluxia at bay while bringing in extra firepower with an array of spells to mix up her approaches. Backing her up is Donald, who added in the magic spells and kept the party going with Cure spells should things appear to be going south. But it didn't take long for Marluxia to figure out that there's backup in the heroes' midst, and he switched up his approach to trip up their support once he found a window of opportunity – which he did when he leapt high into the air and charged a lot of energy into his scythe as he prepared for a drop to the ground. The duck saw it, however, and feared what might happen next.

"Incoming!" Donald shouted as soon as he saw the scythe charging energy.

Immediately on alert, Luna made quick use of her Shadow Hands and grabbed her and Donald out of the way before Marluxia got the drop on them, leaving the reaper with only an impact on the ground that left fractures surrounding him, forcing nearly everyone to move out of the way so as to not get caught in the blast. Even if someone did receive some injuries, at the very least enough Cure spells by certain people helped get everyone back on their feet.

Nero and Riku Replica would help a bit from time to time, but the both of them opted to hang back to keep Namine out of harm's way as much as possible. At least they're able to set aside their differences this time in order to work together for a common goal after everything that happened in the castle.

After a rough fight, it seemed like they had finally beaten Marluxia, as he staggered back while vanishing in a flash of darkness and a flurry of flower petals without a trace. But something about this didn't seem right…

"Is he gone?" Donald asked.

Sora gave a little thumb up, certain that they're done.

"You could say that."

Startled, everyone looked around to find where Marluxia's voice is coming from. Then, right before their eyes, he appeared before them in a flash of dark energy, seemingly intact like nothing happened to him at all! Something was not right about it.

"However, what you destroyed was merely an illusion of me," the schemer told them smugly.

That immediately irked Sora and Luna, knowing that they'd been facing off against an illusion of their enemy, but none are more irked than the replica.

"So what!?" he growled as he charged in for an attack.

But that proved to be futile because as soon as he landed a strike, they found themselves witnessing another façade created by the monster.

"Yet another imitation," he sighed dismally.

That left only one conclusion for them by this point: Marluxia is actually elsewhere, beyond this room, hiding away comfortably behind the door while they're outside. Well, then, it shows that he's not just a malicious schemer, but he's also a dirty coward – and it's all the more reason why he needs to put down now.

"He's really…in there?" Sora asked.

"Yes," Namine replied.

Medea scoffed in annoyance. "Should've guessed that much. Once a coward, always a coward."

"I knew it," Sora figured as much. "I can feel his power. It's trying to destroy my heart."

"Gawrsh, we'll just take care of him together!" Goofy said with optimism.

"Sora! Luna! C'mon!" Donald urged their friends.

Then, Sora looked over to the replica, and said an unexpected request. "Riku… Protect Namine."

The replica, in response, actually felt surprised that someone he fought over her before would actually ask him that kind of favor.

"You don't…mind?" he asked sheepishly.

"Should I?" Sora answered.

A smile crossed his face. "All right."

"Don't worry. We know what we're doing," Luna promised, "Marluxia will get what's coming to him."

"Then we'd better hurry," Nero said as he joined in with the rest of the remaining party. "If we don't put him in his place now, who knows what hell he's gonna raise."

Sora nodded. "Right. It's out final battle! Let's get at him."

Almost like an invitation, the ornate doors that led the way to the enemy opened wide as light poured out from inside wherever it might lead them. Sora and Luna took the lead while Donald, Goofy and Medea hurriedly followed along while Nero trailed behind them. As soon as they got in, they found themselves on a giant platform surrounded by a grey abyss, and when they looked up, they found Marluxia hovering over them.

"Soon the emptiness will shatter your heart – here in this world of nothingness!"

Without warning, a cyclone surrounded Marluxia as petals flurried around the rushing wind. The gusts momentarily startled the party as they struggled to keep themselves from being blown away by the winds. By the time the winds died down, though, they got a rude surprise when they saw that Marluxia had fitted himself into some form of flying automaton decorated like that of a flying grim reaper wielding two pink scythes in each arm; he himself is centered in the middle of a flower attached to the head with himself sticking out like that of a flower's stigma.

"As lightless oblivion devours you – drown in ever-blooming darkness!"

"Not if we make you wilt away first!" Medea shot back at him.

"Medea, we're about to fight a dangerous enemy," Luna chastised, "Try not to overdo the insults."

And what a dangerous enemy he was! With two scythes in use, Marluxia made use of the blades to let loose slashes that created fissures crossing the arena, forcing the party to stay on their toes at all times. And then there would be times where he would summon Bits to one of the party members to trip them up while he set up a limited number of shots to fire on them. Both cases were relatively easy to handle due to their mostly predictable line of fire, and the Bits weren't the fastest at taking potshots at any of the faster fighters.

But then he ramped up the fight when he had his flying automaton lower down and charge right towards them as though to run them over like a truck; Luna, thankfully, proved helpful in that department when she used her escape trick to pull everyone down long enough to avoid being the victim of a hit-and-run before making an abrupt descent to crush them from above. But Marluxia was not done yet: he had other tricks up his sleeves when he made a move to ascend higher and unleash powerful energies to rain down on them, whether it be his burst of dark energy to trip them up or a flurry of flower petals that bombarded the arena with razor sharp gales of flowers that threatened to cut anyone down.

"We can't do much to him if we don't have in on our level!" Nero growled in frustration.

That's when Sora got an idea. "Luna, can you use your Hands to pull him down? If we can at least reach the scythes, then he can't do much more to us."

"I can try. But someone has to draw his attention," Luna replied.

As she prepared her Hands for another approach, Sora, Medea and Nero hurried out ahead to attract Marluxia's attention while Donald and Goofy provided extra cover until there's an open opportunity. Once Marluxia was too focused on the main fighting team, Luna summoned her Hands right out from underneath the machine. When the reaper least expected it, the Hands reached over the arms and grasped tightly at the limbs before forcibly pulling him down low enough to let the rest of the team go in for the kill. While Marluxia struggled to free himself from the Hands' grip, Sora and Nero both charged right in a demolished the scythe blades before they all went in and beat down the automaton until it finally lost its balance. As a quaking sound can be heard and the machine began to fall, the schemer was not done yet.

"Your hopes are doomed to the darkness!" he can be heard saying menacingly.

A strong flash of light let loose upon the field; and when it disappeared, everyone looked around a brief moment to find that they are now in a bizarre dimension whilst riding atop the very same automaton floating in the middle of the dimension. But this time, what greeted them is Marluxia standing in front of a colossal creature in the form of a wispy grim reaper holding a much bigger pink scythe in its hands, ready to reap anything that dares to come close to challenge its devious master.

"Jeez, is he getting this desperate?" Nero asked in disbelief.

"We can still beat him! Let's go!" Donald cheered, still having some energy left in him.

And it's pretty clear that they really have to give everything they've got by this point, because where Marluxia's standing, he's either going to get his way or he's going to perish at the hands of the very people he sought to seize for his gains. A few of the familiar abilities he used before while he only had the automaton were mostly easy to handle since they've handled those old parlor tricks not long earlier. But there were a few new tricks he possessed under his belt that kept the party on their toes at all times because of the potential they have to mess up their approach against him.

"Scatter into oblivion!" the schemer shouted.

With a wave of his hand, a whirlwind formed and shot forward out one after another, tripping up most of them and throwing them off-balance. Not helping matters is when he would use the reaper colossus to unleash a shockwave that spread around the figure and struck against anyone caught in the blast radius, or the bright pink lasers that would be summoned to bombard on one of them in a synchronized concentration of laser energy. And that's not even mentioning the gales he would let loose on them in an attempt to hold them at bay until he's prepared one of his other tricks to use against them.

"Okay, now he's getting on my nerves," Sora grumbled after recovering his footing.

"You think any of us feel differently?" Nero groaned as he pulled himself up.

With these relentless assaults Marluxia unleashed on them, it made keeping everyone fully charged a lot more difficult than it already was when they've face the other members who were involved with the castle. Even Donald could barely keep anyone healed without having some repercussions on himself because of the schemer's aggression against them.

"Okay, someone do something to plug the creep, or we're screwed!" Medea ordered irritably.

Fearing that everyone else is having serious trouble keeping up with the assault, Luna thought that if she could buy her friends just a little more time to recover and regroup, then it'd make finding an opening much easier for them so that they can get rid of Marluxia for good. With just a few flicks of her fingers, she summoned hordes of Shadow Hands throughout the arena, hoping that the numbers could get his attention and keep his focus on her while her friends worked out their own problems. But it didn't take long for the devious schemer to catch on to her attack, and he acted quick, unleashing the lasers on her, which the Hands blocked to the best of their ability; this in turn led to a power struggle between the two as a verbal clash bounced back and forth between them.

"The flower refuses to be plucked, now does she?" Marluxia spoke curtly at her persistence.

"You tried to deceive me, you tried to control me," Luna replied bitterly, "I'm not a pretty little doll you can play with… You disgust me!"

He frowned in displeasure at her words. "If only you'd remained the fragile child you were years ago, I'd have an easier time snatching you under the Superior's nose."

While the struggle was going on, the small window of opportunity is quickly used by Sora and Donald as they got to work throwing out healing spells in quick succession with the aid of what potions they had left to bolster themselves a tad further. Medea actually got a chance to catch the sight of her master trying to hold Marluxia off. If she didn't know any better, it looked like Luna is deliberately stalling him long enough to protect her friends from more beatings. But how long can that last?

"Guys, I don't think she's gonna be able to fight him much longer," Medea warned.

"Then let's finish him off before he gets the chance," Sora replied as he readied for the final round.

"Good. He's one of those I want out of my life," Nero agreed, hoisting his broadsword to his person.

Sora turned to the Guardian. "Medea, can you reach the scythe up there while we get after Marluxia?"

She grinned mischievously. "You bet I can."

Thanks to the distraction Luna provided, Sora and Nero took this opportunity to sneak around the cover of the Hands surrounding the arena; Sora crept behind Luna as he waited for the right moment to jump in while Nero made a jog around the Hands in order to prepare a surprise attack from behind. Just as they were able to take their positions, it's noticed right away that Luna's power struggle against the enemy is faltering fast, and it's only a matter of time before her defenses are broken.

"If you won't behave as you should, then you need a little discipline," Marluxia can be heard hissing.

At his call, the reaper made its move to use its scythe against her – or at least, it would have, but on cue, Medea abruptly flew in and used her claws to grasp tightly against the blade, leading to a power struggle from above. This, in turn, distracted the schemer as he looked up to discern what's going on above his head.

"Alright! Now's your chance, boys! Cut him down!" the Guardian yelled aloud.

Right then and there, when Marluxia least expected it; he suddenly felt a surge of pain rush through him as he staggered backwards. This forced him to look behind him to find Nero at his back, and his eyes before long drifted down to a wound caused by the broadsword piercing through him. By the time he realized he's being set up, it was too late; Sora jumped out from behind Luna as he swung his keyblade in a downward motion, cutting Marluxia down in a single stroke, causing his physical form to lose its substance to the bleeding darkness pouring out of his body. As he began to vanish in purple and pink energy, the reaper dissolved into nothing until there was nothing left of the leader who operated the schemes within Castle Oblivion.

"Is he gone?" Goofy asked.

Donald looked around. "Looks like it."

"C'mon. We gotta get outta here," Sora told everyone as he started to leave.

Picking the pieces after a hard-fought and difficult battle, Sora lead everyone out of the place as Donald and Goofy hurried to keep up with him while Nero followed behind Medea (who had to carry Luna since she had exhausted herself from her struggle with Marluxia) until they returned to familiar territory.

* * *

Once everyone was out, the wizard and the knight made haste to close the door, mostly because they don't want to take chances of their enemy to follow if he ever survived even after he had vanished into nothing. As soon as the door was shut tight, Sora used his keyblade and used its power to close that door so nobody can try to access it again. Just as everyone caught their breaths, the first person Sora turned to is the replica, who had looked after Namine while they fought Marluxia, to make sure he's alright.

"You okay, Riku?" Sora asked out of concern.

He shook his head solemnly. "Not Riku. I'm a fake. I can't remember why I was created or where or when… All that's inside of me – is time with you and Luna and Namine. But I know those memories are not real."

"Damn…I almost feel kinda bad for him," Medea confessed remorsefully.

That's when Goofy had a thought. "Gee, Namine, can't you use your magic to put Riku's memory back to normal?"

She hesitated about it. "Well, I –"

"It's alright," the replica interrupted sadly, "I'll deal."

He turned and started to walk away, leaving them be, but Sora didn't like how self-loathing he sounded and tried to reason with him.

"Wait! Who cares if someone created you?" Sora pleaded, "You are you and nobody else. You have your own heart inside of you. Those feelings are yours and yours alone. They're special!"

A momentary silence permeated the room. The slight movement implied the Riku replica thought about what Sora said, but he still didn't feel too worthy to be accepted that quickly without lying to himself.

"Sora, you're a good guy," he said, "I don't have to be real to see how real your feelings are. That's good enough." He looked over to Luna a moment as she stared sadly at him. "I'm sorry, Luna. I'd rather you be with someone who can care for you better than I."

On that note, he walked away from them on his own. Despite Sora's attempts to call out to him, it proved to be futile; there's no stopping him. In Luna's case, even though she despised how the copycat tried to take the real Riku's place as her friend, even she couldn't help feeling pity for him because of how he had been used by others for their own gains like Nero was. But this also left everyone else with one matter that still needs resolving: their memories.

Donald turned to Namine and asked, "Can you put our memories back?"

"Yes. Not remembering something doesn't mean it's gone," Namine replied.

"What d'ya mean?" Goofy asked in confusion.

"When you remember one thing, that leads to remembering another – and then another and then another," she explained, "Our memories are connected. Many pieces are linked together like they're in a chain that makes up each of us. I don't actually erase any memories – just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all your memories."

Jiminy popped out from the hood. "So you can put 'em back together?"

"Yes, but first, I have to undo the chains of the memories I made on my own," Namine replied, "After I've done that, I have to gather up the memories scattered across each of your hearts, and then reconnect them. It might take some time, but I think it might work. No – it will work. I'm sure. This time, it's my turn to take care of you."

"If anyone can fix this kind of problem, it's you, Namine," Nero encouraged her. "If need be, I'll be there to support the whole way."

"All right. We all really trust you," Sora agreed to the deal.

But then, something quickly worried Jiminy. "Oh… Wait a second! You said you'd have to unlink of the memories you made. That means –"

Namine nodded sadly. "Yes. You won't be able to remember anything about what happened here."

That alarmed Sora. "Not even you?"

"I'm sorry. It's the only way, I'm afraid," she replied.

"Then that means Medea and I will be the only ones who do remember…" Luna dreaded the outcome.

"Given what happened earlier, I'd say you girls got yourselves off the hook," Nero confirmed what she suspected.

Medea growled in frustration. "Dammit. Now what're we gonna do?"

That's when Namine gave out a difficult proposal. "Sora, you have a choice. You can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old ones…or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lost."

That bummed him out…a lot. "Do I have to…to choose?"

"Yes."

Nero shook his head somberly. "Sorry, Sora. You're in a lose-lose situation. Choose wisely."

Silence permeated the air as Sora had no other option but to think carefully over what he wanted most. Looking over at Donald and Goofy reminded him that his friends also have lost so much of their memories, something that could've helped them recall what's important to them. Looking over at Luna reminded him that he had a childhood friend who he has a responsibility to take care of; how could he do that without the proper memories to know how to do so? He really didn't want to lose what he has already been through with Namine, and he wished he had the chance to know more about Nero while in the castle. But…he can't go on while his memories are driven by lies. He can't shake off the feeling that he'd be better off getting back on track before he worried about anything else.

Finally, he came to make a difficult decision. "Make me like I was."

Namine winced at this, but she put on a brave face as she answered, "Oh, okay. Nobody needs to keep a bunch of memories that aren't real, right? You want to remember the people who are really important to you. Anybody would choose that."

The girls could tell that Namine is lying to herself, just to keep Sora from worrying about what she really feels. It wasn't hard to spot that, underneath the sweet smile, she actually felt sad about having to part from Sora after she had just gotten to meet him personally. And who could blame her? Considering what she's been through, she had to be so lonely, and it hurt her more to have to let someone go just to restore what was lost to them by her own making.

* * *

"To remember again, we have to sleep in that?" Donald asked.

Namine and Nero lead everyone to a room that held flower-shaped pods left open for available use. Truthfully, they had no idea what to make of these things. Are these strange decorative contraptions really the answer to fixing everything regarding the boys' memories?

"Yes. It's going to take a little time, but I'll take care of you," Namine promised.

"Gawrsh, when we wake up, we won't remember who you are anymore…" Goofy worried.

"But how are we gonna thank you?" Donald agreed in concern.

"Don't worry about that!" Jiminy reassured them, "I'll just write a big note in my journal. And it will say, 'Thank Namine'."

"That's a great idea, Jiminy," Luna loved the idea. "A note would be very helpful in the long run."

Donald sighed in relief. "Oh, good. That makes me feel better."

"Well, good night, then, Namine," Goofy said like he's going to bed for a night.

"Good night, Goofy," Namine answered politely.

"Good night, Luna. Be good while we're asleep, okay?" Donald said to Luna.

"Have a good night's sleep. Medea and I will be waiting," she replied with a promise.

"You'd better not be snoring by the time you're inside, you hear?" Medea added with joking sarcasm.

Then, Namine turned to Sora. "You, too, Sora."

"Okay," he replied.

However, as he started to climb into the pod chamber and settle himself in, he heard Namine speak to him for the last time.

"All of this may have started with a lie…" she said, "but I am really glad that I could meet you and Luna, Sora."

"Yeah, me too," he reciprocated the thought. "When I finally found you, and I remembered your name, I was happy. The way I felt then – That was no lie."

A small smile crept on Namine's face as she said quietly, "Goodbye."

Sora shook his head as he turned to face her. "No, not goodbye! When I wake up, I'll find you. And then, there will be no lies. We're gonna be friends for real. Promise me, Namine."

"You're going to forget making that promise," she told him.

"If the chain of memories comes apart, the links will still be there, right?" Sora pointed out. "So the memory of our promise will always be inside of me somewhere. I'm sure of it."

Funny enough, Namine almost forgot her own words. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, it's a promise."

Sora nodded, satisfied at the deal. "Good. Until later."

From a distance, the trio remaining outside watched as Sora hooked his pinky with Namine's like a pinky promise children would do before he awkwardly waved back at her and jumped right into the chamber pod in preparation for the transition into sleep. Amazed at the honesty coming from him, Namine couldn't help looking down at her pinky as she thought over what Sora had spoken to her about.

"A promise… Huh…" she bemused in wonder. She looked up one last time. "Sora, some of your memories' links are deep in the shadows of your heart and I won't be able to find them. But don't worry – You made another promise to someone who you could never replace. She is your light. The light within the darkness. Remember her, and all of the memories lost in the shadows of your heart will come into the light."

"Another promise…" Sora can be heard saying before the pod closed.

"Look at the good luck charm. I changed its shape while I changed your memory," Namine instructed him, "But when you thought of her just once, it went back to the way it was."

Though Luna could no longer see Sora in his last moments before the pod closed, she had reason to believe that he is now in the process of working on sorting through his memory to find what he truly valued most. It gave her a small comfort that there's a chance for her three friends to make their way to recovery, but it will still be a drastic change for her. Now, here she is, with only Medea to keep her company along with Nero and Namine to help with the memory recovery.

"Well, I know I'm gonna miss annoying the hell outta someone," Medea finally said sarcastically.

Namine turned to Luna and asked her, "What will you do now, Luna? You and Medea are the only ones still active."

"I would like to find Riku – the Riku I know – but I don't know where he is," Luna replied. "If he's here, then maybe he isn't aware of what's happened. And honestly, I'm worried about him. If I don't find him, I don't know who –"

She had just barely started to take a step when her legs suddenly gave up beneath her, forcing her to plop to the floor in fatigue. That immediately alarmed Nero and Medea as they hurried to her to see if she's alright. But it was already clear to them she's very exhausted after having fought through battle after battle; there just wasn't any time to get any rest or fully recuperate from the fight against Marluxia.

"What I do know for sure is that you're in no condition to go anywhere," Medea chastised her master. "How're you gonna get anywhere else like this?"

That's when an idea crossed Nero's mind: what if he can find Riku? Before, he would've not given a damn about searching for the boy, but after seeing how dedicated Luna is to him firsthand and how many times she's defended him from being demonized by slander, he couldn't help wondering if this boy is really a different person than he initially believed. He could probably reach Riku fast enough and bring him to her at a much faster rate if he tracked him down. Of course, that means he would have to make the trek alone, since he has no idea if there are still other members somewhere in the castle. It'd be better if Luna didn't go anywhere for the time being.

"I can find him. If he's in the castle, then I'm sure I know where I can find him," Nero suggested.

Namine actually grew worried for him. "You don't mean to search the castle yourself, do you, Nero?"

"What other choice is there? The boys are now in a slumber," he insisted firmly, "and Luna's in no state to go anywhere. I have a better chance at locating him and bringing him here."

"If you're gonna do that, then I hope you got fast legs," Medea said sarcastically.

He ignored the remark as he gave Luna one instruction. "Just get some rest while you can. I'll make sure he gets here as soon as possible."

"But…why?" Luna asked, perplexed at his resolve.

"It's the least I could do, as another penance for the misdeeds I've done," Nero replied.

Immediately, he bolted out of the room, leaving the girls alone with the pods while he went out to complete his errand.

"He'll be back. He can handle himself," Namine promised as she seated next to the girls.

"Are you sure?" Luna asked.

"Hey. You might as well take her word for it," Medea answered sternly; "You just take it easy until he gets back. And look on the bright side; at least we'll be meeting a familiar face again. Just get some sleep while you can, huh?"

By that point, she just had no room to argue with her Guardian. Exhaustion has already overruled her other thoughts, and all she could think of right now is to try to catch a little beauty sleep until noted otherwise. Truthfully, she never really realized how tired she really was until her eyes closed completely and her mind drifted off into the land of dreams. But as a comfort, her Guardian and Namine are by her side, so she felt she had nothing to worry about, even if only for a little while.


	29. Chapter 28: From Fear to Resolve

**Hello there! Lilith here.**

 **Well, I'm pretty sure some of you expected Zexion to take center stage as an enemy. But I gotta tell you, it was a hurdle to write down the whole situation.**

 **And, yeah, I've noticed some surprise from my readers that I'm creeping closer to completing this storyline. I'd better get my notes ready for the next fic ready so that I could plan out the broad strokes before I get the next storyline started.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

 **To Gry22: Three things. One: Glad you loved the final chapter with Sora. Two: Yeah, I'm almost done. Shocking, isn't it? Three: Funny you should say that...**

 **To Mattman: Calm down. I'm not calling you oblivious or ignorant. I thought I wasn't making sense, so I facepalmed myself. Also, I honestly never thought that the boss fight would be compared to Persona 5 (heard about it, but never played it) combat gameplay. Truthfully, I felt it would've been hard to imply cards in the battle scenes, so I just left that stuff out in favor of restricting the cards to travel purposes. As for matters regarding more reveals for KH3... Hoo boy! I'm more of biting my nails by this point. Who would be in the Organization were ranged from completely obvious to an eyebrow-raiser. But for the moment, I'd rather hold back on my thoughts with Vexen and Demyx and the possibly Riku replica for the time being. Secondly, on the matter of the Seven Hearts, I can't really be the proper judge on the matter; the past princesses that were used certainly had some that I loved (though it's still baffling that Alice is considered one), but we have seen an increase in variety of princesses in Disney nowadays, so I'd say it'd be best to wait and see. Thirdly, the box art... HOLY S**T! Whoever did that art really outdid themselves! I'd love to give the artist a cookie for just the effort.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 28: From Fear to Resolve

Down in the dark chamber of the castle basement, Zexion had a strong suspicion that something went horribly wrong. If Lexaeus has not reported back from his attempt to pursue Riku, then that could only mean one thing for him…

"Lexaeus is gone as well…" he realized.

He should've guessed as much. Vexen was eliminated topside, and now Lexaeus lost his existence. That can only mean the numbers of members in the castle have already begun to dwindle, and it's only a matter of time before all of them would perish by the very youths they've been chasing after. Just who could be next on the chopping block? It would seem they've been underestimating Sora, Luna and Riku at every turn since their arrival.

Then, he got a surprise when Axel showed up in the room, apparently knowing how everything turned out.

"Vexen, Larxene, Lexaeus…" Axel listed down the crew. "I wonder who will be next in line."

"I thought perhaps it might be you," Zexion answered sarcastically.

"Me? No way. I already took my pounding from Sora," the redhead replied with a dismissive wave, "He thinks I'm done for good. Can't guarantee the same thought from the girls, though… Nope, I think Marluxia's next. For defying the Organization and targeting Sora and Luna." His head wandered a bit. "I hope they move exactly as their hearts command them to." He paused a moment before turning to Zexion. "So, what about you? I thought you guys had plans for Riku."

"Yes, we were going to set him off against the traitors…" the young man replied in disappointment, "But with Marluxia gone, there is no need. He is nothing but a nuisance now."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Zexion knew that he is faced with a dilemma now that the plans are coming apart. But he still wanted to take another chance at trying to obtain something – anything – out if it. And besides, if what Axel's implying is something to be interpreted, it's likely that Luna still gave the slip on those who tried to seize her. That part still left a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought of how she got away from him, her and her Guardian both. Her words especially stung because she was driven to find Riku despite what she knew he had been through, and worse still, she refused to give up on him.

"And he's dangerous as well," Axel added, "After all, he took down Lexaeus."

"You know that is not how I do things," Zexion insisted. But then, he had an idea. "Tell me, did you obtain the data on Riku's home?"

* * *

Elsewhere, Riku and Noir had just started to reach the next floor of the basement when – without warning, a violent quake shook the whole room. Both snapped to full alert as they braced themselves for the worst; but it soon died down as quickly as it came, leaving them baffled as to what caused a tremor of that great a magnitude to occur. Has something serious happened upstairs that caused it? If so, what was it?

"What was that?" Noir wondered.

Riku looked around, sensing something amiss. "What? One of the scents just died – a really strong one."

Any chances to figure out what happened were interrupted when the pair is unexpectedly greeted by the entrance of a new face, and one that is much younger than the last two enemies they've face before. They don't know who it is, but it can be seen he's wearing the same black coat, similar to Vexen and Lexaeus before him. However, it is apparent that he's not here for any pleasantries.

"The keeper of this castle, Marluxia, has just been felled by the Keyblade master and the Shadow Mage," the young man told them.

"Keyblade…Shadow…" Those two words in particular brought one thought into Riku's mind. "You mean Sora and Luna! They're both here?!"

That shocked Noir. "Then, my daughter…"

"Yes. Want to see them?" the young man replied, taunting him. "But…can you face them?"

"What's that mean?" Riku demanded.

"The world of darkness, and Ansem's shadow, still linger in your heart," he pointed out, "Do you plan to face Sora and Luna like that? Are you not ashamed? Sora's fate is to battle the darkness. He must oppose anyone who hosts the dark – in other words, it's you. And Luna – that poor little child – what she sees in someone like you, I don't understand. If you don't believe the words I say…" He pulled out a card from his pocket, and tossed it down, which Riku caught it with ease. "Then you had best see the truth with your own eyes."

Riku looked down at the card, and his eyes widened when he realized what the picture on it represented. It's his home world! Where did he get ahold of it, and for that matter, why was this given to him?

"This card! This is our –" he gasped in shock.

"Yes, it is your home," the stranger answered as he vanished into the darkness.

Riku looked down once more at the card in disbelief. He never thought that he'd be able to catch a glimpse of the place he called home. But something that the man said bothered him: why did he insist that his past affiliation with Ansem and the darkness has made him an enemy of Sora and Luna? He had fought against them, sure, but he was under the manipulation of Maleficent, especially because of the situation with Kairi's lost heart. Also…were his senses playing tricks on him, or did he notice a sense of familiarity when that young man spoke of Luna? Something just didn't sit right with him at all.

"What are we going to do, Riku?" Noir asked him, concerned about the situation. "Something about this isn't right."

"I know. I don't like what's going on," he agreed, sharing her worries. "But I can't shake the feeling that we don't have any choice."

She sighed deeply. "I suppose we don't. Even so…I'm worried about what we'll find once we use that card. I don't even like how he spoke of your friends. It's almost as though he's trying to cast doubts on you."

"Then we'd better cross our fingers it doesn't come down to that," Riku agreed reluctantly.

Left with no other choice, the duo made their way to the door and made use of the card given by that stranger. Once they passed through the light emanating through, there's no knowing what they'll be facing as soon as they enter this world; all they do is proceed with utmost caution should anything be waiting for them the moment they arrive…

* * *

Quick and hard footsteps echoed around the hallways as Nero made a mad dash to locate Riku as soon as possible. If there's one thing he knows considering what's happened in Castle Oblivion, it's that there might still be more of those guys somewhere in the castle; the problem is that he doesn't know how many more exactly. He had seen Vexen, Larxene and Marluxia fall before Sora's keyblade and Luna's Shadow Hands throughout their venture up the castle floors. It's not like he could count out Axel because he hadn't heard about that redhead assassin's fate. There had to be at least a couple more still alive – assuming that Riku hadn't brought any of them down already, that is. He wouldn't be surprised if the numbers have already rapidly dwindled elsewhere. Perhaps Riku is just as capable in combat as Sora is, if what's been experienced with the replica of him is any indication.

"So, you're out on a manhunt, Nero?"

Abruptly, he stopped in his tracks at the sound of the familiar voice. He quickly turned to find Axel casually leaning against the wall, playfully drumming his fingers as though he pretended to be waiting impatiently when he really isn't. Somehow, Nero felt he should've known better about that sly redhead.

Nero frowned, unamused. "What do you want?"

"Just biding time before I move on," Axel replied casually, "Although, I just checked up on a little something, and was on my way to take care of the rest until I saw you. Lemme guess: you're looking for Riku, am I right?"

"Yeah. How did you guess?" Nero asked suspiciously.

The redhead shrugged his shoulders. "Wasn't hard. Though I was sure little Luna would've wanted to find him. Are you doing the baby sister a simple favor?"

Nero glared harshly at him. "After what lies I've been fed by that conniving snake just to lure them into a trap? Yes, I am. And if you intend to stop me, then I'll make sure you join the ones who perished."

Expecting a fight, Nero positioned his hand to his broadsword as he waited readily for a reaction to come out of the assassin. He had half a mind to challenge Axel should he even think about trying to give him trouble. He is on a mission, and he is in no mood for dillydallying when he has other places to be. Besides, he would love to get himself, Luna and Namine as far away from those guys as possible as soon as the mess in the castle is cleaned up.

Instead, Axel gave an approving grin as he said, "Good for you, Nero. You finally grew a stronger backbone."

Nero had no idea what he meant. "Excuse me?"

"You'll find Riku and his companion on the third floor in the basement," Axel informed him as he started to walk away. "But you'd better hurry. By now, I'm pretty sure Zexion is preying on them as we speak. I'm sure the lady can handle herself, but I'd hate to think of how far he'd go to get rid of the boy Luna wants."

At first, Nero didn't have a clue what he was talking about. But then, something clicked in his mind: Luna mentioned something about another one of those people who tried to kidnap her, didn't she? And did Axel imply that whatever it is that Riku's next opponent intends to do, it's not for the most pleasant of reasons? Fearing the worst, Nero immediately forgot about his suspicions on Axel and bolted further down the hall, hoping he could reach the basement in time to help.

Once he was gone, Axel is alone, proud of what he did. "Well, that was easy. Speaking of Riku, I wonder where his copycat might be…"

* * *

"I never thought I'd miss the island winds so much…" Riku said as he looked out to the ocean. "There was a time I couldn't wait getting off this rock. And now I'm acting all relieved."

"Perhaps you're feeling a bit homesick," Noir suggested, "but there's nothing wrong with that."

When Riku and Noir had passed through the door, they found themselves relaxed on the small islet where two paopu fruit trees grew and bent over, and a bridge behind them leading out to the main island. Trees of all colors and sizes grew in hordes within the center of the isle, with ledges being covered in wooden bridges and platforms that shaped every known part of the land for the adventurous visitor. The ocean stretched out seemingly endlessly, glistening under the warm light shining from high in the bright blue sky.

For Riku, it felt surprisingly refreshing to be able to see his home again, even though it is only a figment of his memory. Noir, on the other hand, had other thoughts coursing through her mind, almost a sense of nostalgia for something she used to know long ago.

He actually noticed this, and asked, "Hey, Noir? Have you ever been on the island before?"

She sighed in bemusement. "I don't know how long it's been. But…I've been here before, once upon a time. It was one of the worlds I've visited when I was young, back when I was still in training as a Shadow Mage. It was here that my life went in a completely different direction forever. But that was so long ago…"

"I'd bet it was your first time on an island back then," Riku speculated.

"Yes, it was. It's one of those moments I could never forget," Noir replied.

As they started to move out to look around – Riku hopping off the tree he seated on and Noir simply straightening herself from her leaning position – something in the distance caught Riku's attention as he turned to see what it is. From his position, he can make out the figures of three young children about his age or less, and it seemed like the three of them are engaged in something together.

"Is that…?" he wondered.

Noir turned to him with curiosity. "What is it? Is there someone here?"

In fact, where Riku is concerned, there are other people on the island. He quickly recognized them: it's Tidus, Wakka and Selphie, other children who would come over to the islands for their own fun! He couldn't believe he was seeing them here, but they're there. He had to know whether they noticed he's here.

"Hey!" he called out loudly.

None of them appeared to have heard him. That was rather odd.

Noir peered at the dock, and wondered, "That's strange. You don't suppose the children might be distracted, do you?"

"I don't know," Riku replied as he scratched his head in confusion, "Maybe if we got closer, we can find out what's going on."

Immediately, Riku took the lead as he hurried across the bridge to the main island with Noir following close behind him until they reached the docks where the three youths were hanging around. Now that they're up close, it's pretty easily noticed that as they came closer, it appeared to them that none of them heard them coming over, let alone heard the sand under their feet as they were approaching.

"What's with you guys?" Riku asked them, "I don't think I've ever seen the three of you so quiet."

"Are you children alright?" Noir asked out of concern.

The children turned their attention away from their activities, and simply stared at them. But there was something completely wrong about it: it's like they're almost stone-faced, like gargoyles blankly looking at onlookers without any speech or expression. It felt incredibly unsettling…

"What, is there something on my face?" Riku asked, already feeling uncomfortable.

No answer came out.

"Guys?!" Riku tried to get a response.

But still, nothing came out. Instead, all three children vanished away like nothing. This alarmed Riku greatly. Was this one of that man's devious tricks, trying to convince him that he has nothing? No, that can't be right.

"Something's not right, Riku," Noir admitted her fears. "I can't shake off the feeling this is all a setup, or a trap to catch us in."

"Yeah…I don't like this, either," Riku agreed reluctantly.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something hovering above them. He looked up toward the giant tree where the treehouse is to see who it is, but when he did, his eyes widened from shock. A young girl with doll-curled hair is standing lividly, gazing out toward the islet like she was lost in thought. But that's not what struck a familiar chord to him. He recognized her features anywhere – it's Luna! But is really her, or is she yet another illusion to dash his hopes away? He didn't want to get his hopes up too soon.

"Luna? What are you doing here?" he asked.

A small gasp of shock escaped Noir's lips as she looked up to where Riku has his gaze focused intently. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Riku…is it her?" she asked him nervously.

"Yeah…it has to be her. But what is she doing up there?" he answered, still dumbstruck.

But rather than turn to face them, they watched as Luna started to walk quickly down the steps and cross the land aimlessly. As she walked by the flora and the trees, Riku saw this as a chance to find what's goin on, or at least to confirm whether or not she is also an illusion like the others he had seen were not long before.

"Luna, what are you doing?" he called to her, trying to get answers. "Do you have any idea what's happening?"

But like the children before her, she didn't answer him. However, for a moment, she did stop, almost like she actually did hear him. But then, she started to run off elsewhere, almost as though she's chasing something seen only by her. This in turn motivated Riku to give chase in hopes of uncovering the situation with this world, which pushed Noir to follow along with him with the fear of what could be wrong.

.

.

However, that proved to be a bit of a wild goose chase because whenever they attempted to chase after Luna, she would disappear by the time they turned a corner; from there, she would reappear elsewhere, forcing them to turn back and give chase again. The chase led them all over the place until they finally crossed the bridge back to the islet – but unfortunately, Luna was nowhere to be found. It's like she vanished into thin air. They couldn't find her anywhere, and she hadn't reappeared anywhere else after they had chased her toward the bridge. The gravity of the situation has only served to rise more red flags to what's going on inside this illusory island, and they still haven't found any answers to the questions.

"This isn't making any sense," Noir started to feel unnerved. "It's like someone's trying to keep her out of reach."

"Or is toying with us," Riku added, his stomach feeling sick.

And it would be proven right once more when Riku turned around to find Kairi – but just like before, he can't shake off the feeling something still didn't sit right. He didn't see Luna with her, nor did he hear any speech coming out of her.

"Kairi… Hey, Kairi! Are you –" Riku started to ask her what's going on.

But before his eyes, Kairi also vanished without a trace, leaving him and Noir on their own.

"Ah…no!" he cursed in dismay.

"Surely you knew this would happen."

At the unwelcome voice, Riku and Noir turned to find that the young man is on the islet, and he certainly seemed to be enjoying the show that he produced.

"You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one," he said, "And in those worlds, you only met dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone – each and every one."

"That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands!" Riku snapped, "Tidus, Wakka and Selphie! Kairi and Sora and Luna, too! They're my…my…my closest friends…"

"And who threw away those friends?" the young man retorted, "Maybe it's your own actions you've forgotten. You destroyed your home!"

Without warning, darkness enveloped the entire island, blocking their view. The most Noir could do is hold Riku protectively as their visions are obscured, until they found themselves someplace different than before. Instead of the peaceful islands, they found themselves atop a broken part of the isle, dark stormy clouds surrounding the place as wood and stone flew around in a circular pattern; winds rushed around them with no escape anywhere in plain sight, almost like the whole place had been caught in the middle of a tornado, or maybe worse. That brought back bad memories in Riku's case, as it's at this point that things were never the same.

"This is…that night!" he gasped in shock.

"What happened here?" Noir wanted to know.

"All the islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered," the young man taunted him; "Many hearts were forever lost to the darkness. Because of what YOU did!"

He pointed his finger in one particular direction, forcing Riku and Noir to look to where he's directing them. To their shock, they spotted the form of – Riku! But that didn't simply get put there for just any reason. The worst to be heard was yet to come…

"You hated being an islander, so you opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands," he continued, "It was YOU! You were pulled into the darkness then, and now you belong to the darkness. You should look – look at what you truly are!"

By that point, Noir has had enough. "Stop forcing him to relive his horrors! You don't even know what he's been through, with his friends or with himself! Who do you think you are, you monster!?"

The young man looked over at her warily. "Monster, you said? I'd rather be called by my name, madam: Zexion. I hope you'll remember that…assuming you survive, that is."

Any confrontation is stopped shortly after when the apparition of Riku changed into a blob of dark energy until it manifested into a giant Darkside, ready to crush the opposition. That provided ample enough distraction to Riku and Noir while their enemy disappeared out of sight without them knowing it. For the former, he felt horrified that he was compared to the fiends that he had been fighting against since his escape. He may have been the person responsible for the destruction of his home world, but anything else he had done wrong was because of the people he had been hanging around. What did all these efforts he made to fight the darkness really mean for him now?

"This…this can't be who I really am!" he refused to believe all he heard.

"Stay focused, Riku! We'll deal with everything else once that thing is gone," Noir ordered him.

Compared to the other enemies and Heartless they've face, the Darkside, for them, proved to be a struggle to deal with. Not only did its large size make it difficult to land a hit until it had the idiocy to make itself vulnerable, but there's the annoyance of the smaller Heartless emerging from the puddle of dark energy that surrounds where the creature tried to strike and impacted the ground. If that weren't enough, there were moments where it would charge up an orb of dark energy that launched and broke apart into many smaller orbs that rained down on them.

But luckily for Riku, at the very least he has Noir backing him up with her Dark Hands keeping the dark orbs at bay while he tore through the little Heartless to reach the hulking creature's arm in the middle of the dark puddle. The most both had to worry about is the occasional punches the Darkside would unleash against them, subsequently causing a tremor in the ground along with a shockwave to launch around to anything within reach. In that part, Noir Dark Hands provided the right intervention by elevating their position long enough to escape getting tripped up by the quakes; when it felt safe, they would return to ground level and the process would rinse and repeat in repetition.

By the time the beast fell, Riku couldn't help feeling a bit tired from having to hold his ground against the creature. Noir still stood, although she still felt on edge after their encounter with Zexion. It seemed like things should have calmed down with the Heartless gone, but something didn't feel right. Expecting something different to happen, Riku got a surprise when he spotted someone on the edge of the broken island with their back turned. But when he pinpointed the familiar clothing colors and the spiked brown hair, he realized it had to be one person he'd know well enough – Sora.

He gasped in surprise. "Sora?! Sora!"

Noir turned to see who Riku saw, and she also felt surprised. "Is that him? Then what is he doing here?"

Unknown to them, a door magically appeared behind them, leaving Riku and Noir right in between the door and Sora. Though, neither of them was too sure whether the Sora that is right there is really him, or if it's another copy that would vanish after it served its purpose. Riku certainly wanted to know whether it is his friend or not.

"Sora, it's me –" Riku started to talk.

Suddenly, without warning, Sora lashed out at him aggressively, forcing him to immediately jump back so as to not get struck down too soon. This distressed Noir as she hurried to his aid, fearing the worst of the situation. But then, Sora charged right at them, intent on attacking. Riku, not wanting his new companion to get caught in the crossfire, acted quickly and moved Noir away from him before he put up his own blade defensively, struggling to keep the keyblade away from him. None of this was making any sense, though: why is Sora attacking him like he's a threat? What did he do to deserve that?

"Stop it, Sora! Don't you recognize me?" Riku cried out.

"Yeah, I recognize you. I can see exactly what you've become!" Sora answered harshly. "You've become the very thing that Luna fears most!"

As their blades pushed each other away, Sora positioned his keyblade, firing a stream of light energy at Riku, knocking him off his feet and landing on his back. As he struggled to get back up, he had to hear more hard words coming out of someone who would normally never say such hard words without good reason to do so.

"How can the light hurt you? Riku…have you really become a creature of the dark?" Sora asked angrily. "You're not Riku anymore… You're just a pawn of the darkness. So be it. It's time for you to face the light!"

"Riku, look out!" Noir cried out in fear for him.  
But everything after happened so fast that it felt like a new level of a nightmare. Sora raised his keyblade high to the skies, and from the tip of the blade, light began pouring out of it in spades, which Riku could barely keep his eyes open against because of its brightness. The only thing he could barely make out is the form of Tenebrae surfacing to shield her mistress from the radiance as all of them are engulfed in the eye-piercing light that filled everywhere…

* * *

"I'm…fading… Fading away…into the light."

He had no idea what exactly is happening, but he couldn't help feeling the sensation that he is losing himself into the blinding brightness of the light. He was so sure that he is done for, after so hard of a struggle to fight back against the darkness that many enemies he faced tried to convince him into otherwise. Though, he did have small hope that Noir might've survived the bath of light, probably to be able to continue making her way to her goal. It's too bad he won't be able to…

 _"_ _You won't fade."_

Wait… Who just spoke?

From the radiant light, a familiar female form appeared before him, someone that he knows so well. It's Kairi! He'd know that red hair and the spunky smile anywhere. But what is she doing here?

"You can't fade. There's no power that can defeat you – not the light, not the dark," Kairi said with encouragement. "So don't run from the light, and don't fear the darkness. Because both will make you stronger."

That confused Riku. "Make me stronger? Darkness, too?"

"Yeah. Strength that's yours," she replied confidently. "The darkness inside your heart – it's vast, and it's deep…but if you can truly stare into it, and never try to look away, you won't be afraid of anything again."

Huh… Now it's starting to make some sense to him. He couldn't believe what he had been doing this whole time without even realizing it from the start.

"All this time, I've tried to push the darkness away…"

"You've gotta just remember to be brave," Kairi told him, "Know the darkness is there and don't give in. If you do that, you'll gain strength – the kind that's unlike any other. You'll be able to escape the deepest darkness –"

"- and I'll be able to see through the brightest light," he finished.

"Follow the darkness," she instructed him, "It'll show you the way to your friends, and to her."

But he still didn't feel too sure. "Can I face them?"

Another girl's voice spoke along with the familiar. "Do you want to?"

"You know I do. Of course. And I will! With my strength – My dark strength!"

Now fueled by a stronger motivation and conviction, Riku finally resurfaced, restored and with the dark power he had rejected for so long by his side.

"Darkness!"

At his call, dark energy surged around him, forming into the very armor that he used time and again, but now nothing about it worries him. Then, he turned toward something that only he can see, and – with swift movement and one swing of his blade – he cut through the light and made his strike, returning him to reality once more.

.

.

As the light finally died down, the view of the ruined island returned to the picture. Noir, who had been hidden from the radiance under the protection of her Guardian, at last regained her vision as she realized that Riku had emerged from the light alive and now empowered by the very element he feared most. She couldn't help feeling the overflow of relief loosing itself out from knowing her young companion is not gone and not down for the count yet.

"Riku! You're alright!" she cried happily.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine, Noir. You'll see."

The same thing cannot be said for the Sora that they faced. In fact, after Riku had struck him, a telltale clue tipped them that this boy is not who he appears to be.

"Impossible!" a deeper voice cracked from pain.

It turned out that the 'Sora' they encountered wasn't actually Sora at all. Instead, the dark energy that dissipated his form reverted to that of Zexion, the real troublemaker who was giving them hell in the illusory world! Now, he had been exposed, crippled by the blow dealt to him and shocked at the knowledge that he had been caught red-handed for impersonating a familiar face just to snuff him out.

"How is it that you found me when you were there in the light?" he demanded to know.

"You reek of darkness," Riku replied plain and simple, "Even the light can't hide the smell. I guess I followed the darkness right to you."

By this point, Zexion has become very angry – no, beyond that. He is outraged that everything has gone south. First, his attempt to capture Luna had been thwarted by the very target he meant to detain on his leader's bequest. Then the plans to eliminate Marluxia by using Riku are bogged down by Sora's intervention. And now, his attempts to cast moral doubts on Riku have fallen apart somehow and his lies have been exposed. He's had enough of this! If he can't use Riku for his goals, then he might as well save himself the trouble and get rid of him now. Besides, he's been waiting for the chance to remove Riku from the picture since Luna won't come along quietly – all the better if he's out of the way.

"This is absurd…" he growled angrily, "Then I shall make you see… That your hopes are nothing – nothing but a mere illusion!"

"We'll see who's really delusional, Zexion!" Noir rebuked as she readied her Hands.

In a two-on-one battle, the illusionist summoned his lexicon and created extras as backup whereas Riku and Noir worked together to tag down their adversary. And boy howdy, their enemy doesn't make it too easy for them given his potency. More often than not, he would try his hardest to get enough distance from them in order to play the tricks up his sleeves.

In fact, one of the tricks he pulls is using his magic that created a cyclone which caught traces of the dark energy, which he used to copy Riku's blade and subsequently create several illusory clones to unleash against his empowered nemesis. Luckily, Riku knows himself well enough to keep up a defense against the clones before taking chances to go in on the offensive. In Noir's case, her Dark Hands kept the tomes at bay while she simultaneously worked to protect Riku from the unrelenting assault of the clones along with the aid of her Guardian, Tenebrae. But then, the devious illusionist opted to take a gamble at turning the tides with another trick – one that he hoped would give him an edge in order to elongate the fight a little longer.

"Let's see how you can handle this," he hissed as he played his hand.

All at once, the lexicons increased in incremental numbers as each used their magic energy to create extra clones for Zexion to let loose on the arena. However, there are two significant differences – the two extra clones have their hands replaced with black clawed hands, while Zexion himself conjured numbers of eerily familiar shadowy hands that surrounded him and his other clones.

The instant he saw the familiar shapes of the hands and claws on the clones, Riku immediately recognized them to have come from Luna and Medea. He had seen what they were like firsthand, especially since he's fought them before. But one thing about the sight of the creations sickened him: this enemy had the gall to create a mockery of Luna's abilities as well as create imitations of Medea's natural weapon so blatantly that he would use those powers for his own use. What did Zexion do to achieve that level of travesty? For that matter, when had he made contact with her to begin with?

Apparently, the illusionist noticed his disgust and asked smugly, "Recognize them, Riku?"

An angry frown crossed Riku's face. "You're sick. Using Luna's Hands like that – she would've been disgusted with you!"

"Oh, she already hated that. Pity that a reasonable conversation didn't play out well because Luna wouldn't give up on you," Zexion replied bitterly, "What she even sees in you, I don't understand. Why, of all people, does she refuse to give up on you after all you've done?!"

With a furious flick of his arm, the dummied Shadow Hands lashed out at Riku, forcing him into defensive reaction just to keep him from being overwhelmed by the presence of the pale imitations created on the maker's behalf.

At the very least, the brief conversation gave Riku a little clue as to what he's finding despite being in the heat of the battle. Unless he's heard wrong, the impression he got is that Zexion had encountered Luna before; and if Luna was there, chances are Medea was not far off (which would explain the claws brandished by the clones). But did he hear twinges of jealousy coming out of him when he spoke of her determination to find her loved ones? Wow, was that something he never thought he'd hear from someone he hardly knows. He'd hate to find out how he ended up being the subject of someone else's envy.

However, Riku wasn't the only one offended by the perverted mimicry of the shadows. Noir, when she saw firsthand what he had done, grew angry at the mockery and retaliated accordingly to what she perceived as a blasphemy to the power of the Shadow Mages.

"How dare you! Mocking the power of the shadows so brazenly," Noir snapped furiously, "and speaking so poorly of my daughter – I'll teach you the consequences for lying about her and for mocking the might of the Shadow Mages!"

Almost as though on instinct, Dark Hands by huge quantities surfaced around Noir's vicinity and launched out like rockets against Zexion and his clones in full force. While they weren't able to reach all of the crafted clones, some of them actually bought the distraction and hastily made efforts to repel the wave of Hands launching out. This in turn allowed Riku a ripe opportunity to get after the illusionist directly.

From there, it pretty much became a violent game of cat-and-mouse – except that the cat has to deal with the dual work of two mice giving him trouble rather than just one. Not even the clones brandishing copies of Riku's Soul Eater helped out Zexion all that much because he had trouble finding windows of opportunities to recreate the information on the prowess. And the icing on the cake about the problems for their enemy is that the clones and the copies of the lexicons proved to be a lot easier to eliminate than they initially thought it would be. After all, their enemy, it seems, is more akin to a magician, not a warrior; that provides all the more reason why he actually showed himself to be nothing more than a thorn on their side, and they want that thorn removed by any means necessary.

As soon as all of the clones were wiped out of existence by Noir's hands (figuratively and literally), it all boiled down to Riku charging right into the middle of the fray and cutting down their enemy until he was finally at their mercy. Finally, having been exhausted of nearly all his options, the trickster at last fell to his knees, hardly able to keep himself standing after how much pounding he took from Riku alone.

He couldn't believe it; he just couldn't believe it. After everything he tried to do to either break Riku or to terminate him, it all came down to nothing.

"After all your protests, you're still like us, on the side of darkness," he mocked dryly.

"I know who I am," Riku retorted.

"And nothing you say will convince him otherwise," Noir added.

Zexion shook his head in disbelief. "When did this happen? You were always terrified of the dark before –"

Riku has had enough by this point. "Not anymore!"

With one charge, Riku deal the deadly blow while Zexion could only stiffen from the shock that he was just about done for. Though the injury sustained from the blade was not anywhere near fatal, it gave the illusionist so much pain that he was forced to use the dark energy to form a portal to retreat into, leaving the two alone, freed from the lies of the deceiver that tried to tear them down.

* * *

By the time he opened the door leading inside, Nero felt a strong gust of wind rushing through the land as he tried to discern what's going on to warrant this scale of a storm. Had he arrived too late? Did something happen to Riku?

"I've got to hurry and find him," he motivated himself, "I just hope I'm not too late…"

Fighting through the gales of the storm, Nero pushed himself further and hurried toward the purple funnel that blocked off part of the island from his sights. As far as he's concerned, that had to be where he can find Riku. He can only hope that the boy he's looking around is a capable person as Luna thinks he is, or else he could be in serious trouble. Though, if he's noticing it correctly, it looks like whatever is blocking his way is about to subside, so there might be a chance that whoever was the enemy has vanished.

* * *

With their enemy gone, Riku felt like he can shed off the armor he had used throughout the fight, since there is no other threat at the moment. Not after he did so, however, he got a surprise when Noir abruptly embraced him tightly, not too willing to let go for a little while – not after everything that had happened to him.

"Thank goodness you made it through this!" she cried with tears of relief, "I almost feared the worst when he tried to destroy you with the light. But for the love of all that is good in Kingdom Hearts, don't make me worry about you like that ever again!"

He knew what she was talking about. Zexion came close to fooling them completely, wearing the mask of Sora and attempting to use the light against him like he did. Given what happened, he knew Noir had every good reason to be terrified for his life; she didn't get the chance to intervene because of how precariously the light was being used in force. But thanks to the support he had from an unexpected place, he knew better, and he found the strength to see past the lies and find the true problem.

"Sorry, Noir. I didn't mean to scare you like that," he answered sheepishly.

"Oh, you did more than scare me that time," she scolded him, "I almost lost you! I don't want to go through another loss ever again…"

Yikes. She was that deathly terrified for him? Well, he couldn't complain, really. Ever since she joined him through the basement, she pretty stood in like a surrogate mother and looked after his wellbeing like one. He didn't mind it. After all, she's been such a helpful ally along with the king.

"There you are!"

The new voice that broke through the subsiding storm and subsequent serenity caught the attention of Riku and Noir as they turned around to find that everything had changed back to the way things were. And to top that, they saw a strange man running across the bridge toward them like he's in a hurry. Naturally, after the fights they've been through, Riku's protective instincts kicked in as he summoned his blade in preparation for a potential fight as Noir quickly released him, not knowing exactly what's going on.

"Who are you?" Riku demanded an answer.

When the man recognized that there's immediate suspicion, he stopped dead in his tracks and raised his hands to his shoulders cautiously as though to say he means no harm whatsoever.

"Whoa, whoa, clam down!" he pleaded, "I'm not an enemy, honest!"

While Riku still didn't completely trust him in the slightest, a different emotion crossed Noir's face as she looked at the stranger. A stunned gasp escaped her as she felt a strong sense of déjà vu at the sight of the young man come to greet them. Was she seeing things, or…

Her voice cracked as she asked hesitantly, "You…are you Terra? Or are you just a mirage of him, mimicking him just to taunt me?"

He shook his head sadly upon hearing the questions. "No… I'm sorry, but I'm not him. I'm just an altered doppelganger crafted to impersonate the person you're thinking about." He coughed a bit before he straightened himself up. "My name's Nero. I came here to find Riku on Luna's behalf."

Now that tidbit of information caught Riku's attention right off the bat. This stranger actually claims he came on Luna's behalf? He didn't know what to believe. He had longed to reunite and return to her once he found a way of the realm of darkness, but he never imagined that he'd be coming this close to finding her again. Something about this felt rather strange to him. What did this Nero stand to gain out of coming all the way over here to fetch them?

"Did you know Luna?" Riku asked in disbelief. "How do you know her?"

"I met her sometime after she came to the castle with Sora," Nero explained, "Though…the things that happened between us is not easy to explain. But Marluxia is gone, and Luna has been worried sick about you. I hurried all the way down here to find you and bring you to her straight away."

"Luna? My daughter's in the castle?" Noir had her own questions about the situation.

"Well, if you don't believe me, then at least let me guide you," Nero insisted. "Let me prove it to you both. And besides, I have a friend who's watching her along with Luna's Guardian. They're just further up ahead."

Riku and Noir both looked at each other to quietly assess the startling news. The shock and disbelief on Riku's face signaled that he doesn't know what to think about the validity of Luna's whereabouts; but if it's true, then that means he's getting closer to finding her. Perhaps, for all he knows, Sora might be with her as well. For Noir, thought she has the disappointment of knowing the new visitor wasn't who she expected, she felt more shocked to find out that Luna is also in the castle and that she's alive and well. Although neither of them are too sure whether Nero's words rang true regarding the current situation, they couldn't shake the feeling that he was being honest regarding how much he's willing to prove his integrity and lead them to where they want to go.

So, Riku came to this decision. "If we go with you, would you mind explaining about yourself afterwards? I'd like to know whether you can still be trusted."

"Sure, if that's what it takes," Nero agreed, knowing he had a lot of work to do. "But I can't promise that anything I tell you will make a lot of sense. Besides, my friend would probably be able to explain everything that happened than I could ever do."


	30. Chapter 29: Twilight Town - Riku

**If this chapter feels rushed, I'm sorry. I exhausted myself just trying to finish this.**

 **Remind me not to stay up past three again after this...**

 **Anyway, we're getting closer to Riku's story finale. And just to make a quick announcement, when I post the next chapter, I'll be making a last call for suggestions before the train moves on to the epilogues and on to 358/2 Days.**

 **So without further ado, enjoy! Also, get some tissue boxes ready for what's waiting down below.**

 **To WilyGryphon: In my defense, the reason I selected the following worlds from Neverland to Olympus Coliseum was because I wanted to have a little fun experiment on Riku and Noir's interactions. And besides, even though Riku did have past problems with Sora, who's to say that he hasn't kept closer tabs on Luna? I thought with at least some of these, he would've been able to interact with a limited set of characters that Luna at least would've known (Hercules notwithstanding, since I didn't add him in). As for the Halloween Town case, I just threw that in for giggles - that, and I just love Sally too much (lol).**

 **To Mattman: Actually, spoiler alert, I'll be having Luna and her replacement companions set up the mansion as their base of operations. And knowing Luna, she would've wanted to stick around Riku as long as she can; I want to give them a chance to fortify their relationship. For your suggestions, I'll think about them; but I can't promise I'll use them. Lastly, answering your questions - 1) Yes, there will be more OCs down the line. I'll be giving teasers for what's coming in the epilogues. 2) If I know Axel, I'm pretty sure he'd fill in the two on Luna and her current companions, and from there, the pair will quickly accept them.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Twilight Town – Riku

He had just barely made it out of there with his life. Even now, he hangs by just a thread. But that's not the only thing on his mind. Zexion is in disbelief at everything he witnessed, everything that didn't go according to plan. He had thought he could terminate Riku without pressure, get rid of the boy who he thought would be easy pickings. He thought he could cast doubts on him, and ultimately finish him off with none the wiser. But instead, the boy found a new strength in himself, and he along with his companion overcame him and broke him to the core. Now he's at a loss as to what to do now.

"What IS he!?" he growled as he leaned against the wall, "No one's EVER worn the darkness the way that he does! It's impossible!"

His train of distressful thoughts came to a screeching halt when he heard someone's footsteps approach him along with the rush of strong energy. When he briskly turned to see who it is, he nearly had a heart attack when he saw who he thought was Riku alongside Axel – until he realized that the Riku that's in the room is not the same person he's thinking of; it's only Vexen's experimental duplicate. With his guard dropped as quickly as it rose, he found a dastardly idea crossing his mind – and the replica provided it.

"Oh… Oh, yes. The replica, of course," he said anxiously, "We can use this Riku to defeat the real one."

But then, he immediately sensed something amiss. Axel is there, but it doesn't seem like he's paid any heed to what he was saying. And the replica appeared to be fixated on him, and it's starting to unnerve him extensively.

"Axel?"

"Wouldn't you like to be real?" Axel asked the replica. "All you need is the kind of power that the real Riku doesn't have. If you can get that, you can be a new person – not Riku, nor anybody else. You won't just be a copy of someone. You will be unique, your OWN self."

Zexion immediately became horrified. "Axel! What are you saying to him?!"

"You know, he's as good a place to start as any," the redhead continued to goad the duplicate.

"You can't do this!" he cried out.

But he stood no chance. Before he could any more protests, Zexion is grabbed by the front of his coat by the replica and hoisted off the floor. After a brief period of futile struggling, two energies surged as the replica used his power to drain away all the illusionist had until his victim lost his resistance and slowly started to disappear into nothing. All the while, Axel looked on with a relaxed but sly smile on his face as he watched the dirty work be carried out.

"So sorry, Zexion," Axel falsely apologized, "You just found out way too much."

* * *

"Are you sure further up is the right way to go?" Riku asked.

"I'm sure," Nero replied with certainty, "It's not far from where we came out."

After leaving the illusory islands behind, Nero started to lead Riku and Noir up the stairs to the next floor like a guide on a tour. The arrangement made is that Nero would lead them to where Luna is in exchange for acquiring information about what transpired within Castle Oblivion afterwards. He agreed, and offered to lead the way. Though Riku still held caution on completely trusting the strange man, he didn't want to have too much doubt on his honesty until he found the friends he had been looking for. Noir, on the other hand, is a mixed bag in the matter; she isn't sure what to believe, but at the same time she doesn't want to lose hope in finding what she's been trying to find in the castle.

But just as they reached the next floor, an unwelcome familiar voice wormed its way into the hall – and it's not one the two travelers wanted to hear again.

 _"_ _Riku… Riku…"_

Immediately, Riku jolted to high alert. "Who's there?!"

 _"_ _I know you can feel it… The grip that I have on your heart."_

It didn't take Noir very long to identify the voice. "Oh, no… It's Ansem again!"

Nero turned to them, confused. "What's wrong?"

 _"_ _You have let in the darkness, Riku. That means very soon your heart shall become an all-consuming darkness."_

"I'm not like that now!" Riku protested.

Ansem doesn't believe a word he's saying. _"Yes, you are."_

Suddenly, Riku felt himself being frozen in place, his arms and legs stretched out like a prisoner bound to a rack in a prison cell. No matter what he tried to do, he found himself severely prohibited from attempting any resistance.

"Can't move!" he strained.

"Riku!" Noir cried out as she hurried to his aid, trying to wrest him free. "Leave him alone, Ansem! Haven't you bullied him enough? Let him go!"

 _"_ _Bullied him, my lady? I'd rather call it discipline,"_ Ansem replied unamused. His attention then shifted to Riku. _"The deeper the darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless."_

Just when it seemed like Riku was done for by Ansem's hands, a miracle came as the familiar orb of light flew down into the hall and entered Riku's body in a timely fashion. Before long, a bright flash of light surfaced, washing through the hall like a purifying flow of water against the surge of darkness that tried to emerge from the depths. Ansem apparently realized what's happening as his voice can be heard straining futilely against the protective light as he rapidly lost his grip on Riku once more.

 _"_ _Must you interfere again!?"_ he roared angrily.

When the light finally died down, Riku felt his body be released from the invisible bindings and almost collapsed. But thankfully, since Noir was nearby him, she caught him and helped him back on his feet.

"Phew! Sure glad I made it just in time!" a high-pitched voice sighed in relief, "That oughta keep Ansem busy for a while."

Curious and still reeling from the close call, Riku and Noir turned around and went wide-eyed when they recognized the familiar face of a particular mouse that they've heard from more than once – Mickey! On the other hand, Nero didn't know what was going on, but when he followed where their eyes fixated on, he actually had a moment of surprise when he saw a cutesy-looking rodent right in the room with them. The mouse certainly looked pretty happy to see the two people he had known inside the castle.

"Sorry I couldn't come here sooner, Riku," Mickey apologized.

"Your Majesty, is that you?" Riku asked in disbelief.

Not sure what to believe or to think, Riku just couldn't resist wanting to confirm whether or not he was hallucinating or if he's seeing the king for real. Almost on a whim, he rubbed the cheeks of King Mickey a bit, apparently instigating a hilarious reaction from their pint-sized friend.

"Whoa! That tickles!" Mickey laughed.

Well, that confirmed it. It's King Mickey, alright – and this time, he's here for real! This came as a huge relief for the pair that had been traversing up the basement floors trying to find their way out; more than once, Mickey made sure that Riku is saved when Ansem reared his ugly head on them. And now that he's here, it shows full well that he kept his promise on finding a way to reach them however he can.

Not long after Riku let go of playing with Mickey's cheeks, Noir impulsively pulled the mouse king into her arms and embraced him with all her might.  
"Mickey, you can't imagine how much you had us worried," she said, almost about to cry. "We've had to deal with several people hounding and trying to trick Riku into taking the temptation at every turn."

"Gosh, you don't have to worry now, Noir," Mickey assured her. "At least you both made it pretty far."

"This time, you're not an illusion," Riku gasped happily, "I'm so glad that you could make it here."

"I made a promise to you both that I would find a way, didn't I?" the king replied.

After all that had happened, this just proved to be too much for Riku to take. All those emotions running through his head caused his strength to sap away, and in an instant, he plopped to the floor like a puppet that got its strings cut off. One would think he's exhausted, but he's isn't. No, there are a lot of thoughts running through him, but the most prevalent ones are joy at seeing King Mickey again and shock that the very same mouse is here in person.

That immediately worried Noir as she turned back to make sure he's okay. "Riku! Are you alright? Are you sick?"

"No, Noir…I'm not ill," he replied slowly. He took a breath before he spoke to his other friend. "I'm okay. Don't worry. Guess I'm just relieved. I've – I've been alone for so long that having someone around is…is a little…overwhelming. Well, except with Noir keeping company. But…uh, how did you make it here? I thought it was too far."

"Yes, I remember. You were still in the realm of darkness, Mickey," Noir recalled their talk from before. "What happened that allowed you to arrive here yourself?"

"I found a card to help me," Mickey replied. He then pulled out a card bearing the image of a peculiar town. "I needed a way outta the realm of darkness, and suddenly, this card appeared right in front of me. When I picked it up, I could see your hearts beyond the darkness. That's what let me find you two. I guess the card thought its place was to be with you."

"Maybe you're right," Riku agreed as he took the card.

Throughout the conversation between the three of them, Nero was at a loss for words because of what he just saw. In fact, he couldn't believe that this short little talking mouse is someone that these two knew pretty well. But then…he remembered hearing Donald and Goofy mention they had a king they were looking for besides Riku – before that memory was lost, unfortunately. Does that mean the mouse is their king? Well, now he has seen a lot more than he reasonably should have! He really wished he had known better…

"Why didn't anyone tell me what the king looks like?" he asked himself.

Mickey actually heard him talking to himself and, out of curiosity, looked over to see there's a new face with his friends, watching the whole debacle. But then, something struck him as eerily familiar as soon as he got a good look at his face and features. He could've sworn that he was seeing the face of someone from the past – but he had no idea what to believe.

"Oh! Noir…did you find your son?" Mickey asked. "Is that him?"

Noir shook her head sadly. "No, Mickey. He's not who you think it is. His name is Nero."

"Just an altered duplicate created to impersonate Luna's brother," Nero verified, "I was about to bring Riku and Noir to Luna when you arrived."

The last part caught the king's attention. "Luna's here? Is she okay?"

"She's safe, I promise. She's resting a bit, with her Guardian and my friend watching her," Nero explained, "If you want to come along, you can."

"He promised to be our guide in return for information," Noir told the king, "He said he came looking for us."

"It's not we have any other choice. He's the only lead we have right now," Riku added.

"I see. Well, if that's what you believe about him, then I'll believe him with you," Mickey agreed to the situation.

"Well, if we're all good, then we'd better get going," Nero urged them on, "The sooner we make the rendezvous, the sooner we can work on getting away from this place."

At the behest of Nero's urge to proceed further, Riku took up on it as he approached the door and used the card that's been given to unlock the way through. One by one, each of them entered through the light inviting them in and made their way to the next destination.

* * *

Riku and Noir looked around in amazement at the new location they walked into. The place they've entered into looked to be a large town living under a perpetual sunset, connected by all assortments of stairs and walkways and tracks fit for railway vehicles. Here, they stood in the middle of what appeared to be a shop district, the lights glowing attention-seeking neon to beckon any passersby to come and check out what there is to offer.

"Where are we?" Riku asked, "What is this place?"

"I don't know. I've never seen a town with this kind of atmosphere before," Noir replied.

"It's called Twilight Town," Nero told them. "I'm sure you can figure out why the town would be named as such."

But then, Riku quickly sensed something's not right. Doing a mental headcount, he realized that he, Noir and Nero are here together – but Mickey's not with them! Did something happen to him without them knowing it? Did he get left behind by accident?

"Your Majesty?" he called in worry.

Noir noticed his worries and feared the worst. "Oh, no! Did he fall behind?"

Before anyone could try to determine what became of the king, the trio are greeted by a flash of dark energy manifesting into the shape of a face Riku and Noir are not at all happy to see. But Nero had no idea who that person is that showed his face; though, something about that man certainly unnerved him immensely. Just what reason is Ansem here right now, after what Mickey had done earlier? Is he here to cause trouble again?

"You must battle me alone," Ansem said challengingly, highly directed more toward Riku. "Against my dark powers!"

At first, Riku instinctively brandished his blade as though ready to challenge his enemy's stubborn will to bring him down; Noir and Nero followed suit, mostly to prepare for the worst if someone intends to play dirty. But then…something started to cross his mind, like something is amiss in this whole situation. His fighting instincts diminished, he lowered his blade without a fuss, which baffled the fiend who had been expecting more resistance out of him. The same can be said for Noir and Nero, who had thought that there would be a fight to the finish; but it didn't happen, they had to wonder what could be wrong with the situation at hand.

Ansem, perplexed at this, asked indignantly, "What's this? Are you giving up? Finally ready to surrender to your fate?"

"You're not the real Ansem," Riku replied bluntly.

A startled gasp escaped Ansem's mouth as Noir and Nero looked at Riku with confused faces like they don't know what he's talking about. But Riku went on like a detective unraveling the lies that tried to hide away.

"Your scent is different," he continued, "The Ansem in my heart smells darker. The odor is more foul. But your scent just isn't that. It's not darkness. It's something else."

"You mean…this man we've been encountering outside of the worlds…" Noir started to put two and two together.

Riku nodded, still keeping his eyes on 'Ansem'. "I finally understand. You're the one who guided me when it started. You came to me pretending to be Ansem. You gave me the card to make me face the darkness."

'Ansem' chuckled, knowing he had been caught in a lie. "That is correct."

From there, the imposter vanished under a flash of a different energy than the dark that would've been suited to Ansem, and out of the light emerged a completely different person than what they've come to anticipate.

The stranger is garbed in what appeared to be a black shirt with a white marking in the middle, complemented by light colored sleeves and a long black cloth decorated with angular aligned straps reaching partway down. Both are held together by grey segmented armor around the waist over a red cloak with yellow edges in the middle; around his neck, he wore a dark colored scarf, and angled around his waist is a yellow sash holding three leather pouches well-decorated and sealed tightly. His face, though it can be seen to be dark skinned, is obscured by red bandages wrapped nearly all over his face save for the right eye and mouth, and two black leather belts intersecting around his head with one positioned where the left eye would be.

"DiZ, or so I am known," the man called DiZ introduced himself, "You – I've watched you all along."

So that's why Riku and Noir had been dogged at every opportunity! Wow, that almost gave them half a mind to imagine they had a stalker the whole time. But if that's the case, then what's he doing here now? Something smelled fishy about this, even though he has revealed his actual identity to them.

"Really. Who are you?" Riku asked him, "And what do you want from me?"

"For you to choose," the man replied simply.

That confused him. "Choose?"

"You are a special entity. You exist between light and dark," DiZ explained, "You stand in the twilight. You are to meet Namine, then choose."

"Namine? Who's that?" Riku questioned.

"You will know soon," DiZ replied vaguely.

In a flash of light, he vanished from their view and seemingly disappeared from sight, leaving everyone else baffled as to the events that transpired.

Riku turned to Nero, thinking he might have an answer. "Hey, Nero, you know who Namine is?"

"Yeah. She's a friend I've met since being stuck in this castle," Nero replied, "She's the one who's keeping an eye on Luna while I went looking for you two. If that creepy man is anything to go by, I'd say we're on the right track."

But for Noir, something about this strange meeting gave her an unsettling feeling of déjà vu or perhaps a sense of familiarity only she knows. The man that made an audience with them reminded her strongly of someone else she knew well several years ago, someone who spoke with intellect and sophistication, and yet always had something hidden that most cannot pry into that easily. But she can't shake off the feeling that she won't be able to make her investigations for the time being until matters inside the castle are resolved.

"I have a feeling that man knows much more than he's letting on," she whispered to herself.

"Something wrong, Noir?" Nero asked her.

She shook her head. "No…it's nothing. I'd rather not worry until later."

"Well, then, we'll just have to keep moving," Riku agreed, "Nero, you mind leading the way? I don't think either of us would know exactly where to go."

"No problem. Just stick close to me, and we'll arrive at the destination in a heartbeat," Nero answered as he started to lead them, "I know where we have to go to in order to find her."

"Have you been in this town before?" Noir asked out of curiosity.

"You could say that," Nero replied vaguely.

* * *

As Nero helped them navigate the walkways of the town streets, there would be moments when numbers of Heartless would rear their ugly heads and attempt to derail their progress. But thankfully, after what they've been through, they're more than prepared for any oncoming Heartless that would try to come at them. But it's noticed a lot more closely by Riku that Nero is no slouch in his ability to fight, even though he doesn't have a keyblade of his own. And then there's that weird feeling of déjà vu crossing his mind; he could've sworn he's noticing a striking resemblance in that young man… But he originally thought not to think about it for the time being, mostly because he didn't know whether it would be a good idea to poke his nose into another person's business, especially since he isn't too sure whether Nero would be inclined to speak about himself at the moment.

But when things seemed to have calmed down for them in their ventures across the streets of town, Noir decided to start asking Nero questions because she wanted to know more about him on her own terms.

"Nero…if it's not too much to ask, would you mind telling us what brought you into Castle Oblivion in the first place?" Noir asked.

There was a momentary hesitation before Nero responded. "It's…not something I like to think about."

That's when Riku joined in on the conversation. "You trying to avoid the question? The deal was that you'd tell us what you know in exchange for guiding us. Besides, you mentioned you met Luna, albeit under dubious circumstances, and you came looking for us in her place after Marluxia was gone. What's your reason for turning the leaf over?"

Nero knew he had been cornered by this point. There's just no avoiding the important questions, regardless of how sensitive the subject is. If he didn't tell them something, there's a good chance they won't give him any peace until he came clean with something that can help them understand the goings-on in the castle. But he also knew he made a promise to eventually tell Luna the truth about himself as soon as he gets the chance to do so. So, he decided to at least give Riku and Noir what they want and fill them in on his affairs, if hopefully to let them figure out the rest of the story later on.

"Marluxia brought me to Castle Oblivion, under the orders of his boss. There was small gossip that a girl their leader sought after had resurfaced after having disappeared nine years ago, at least that's what I heard," Nero replied reluctantly, "I was kept in a cage until Sora and Luna approached the castle. From there, Marluxia ordered me to infiltrate them and lure the two to him. I went along with it because I was promised I could have Luna for myself." He let out a bitter scoff. "Really, I should've known better. That backstabbing narcissist was only using me so that he can snatch her under his boss's nose. But after what happened, I'm actually glad that neither Sora nor Luna has been successfully seized by the schemers we faced."

It was pretty clear to them that Nero has a sense of cathartic relief about the ordeals he's been through. The glee in his admittance to being glad about most of the people in the black coats being dead spoke volumes as to how he really felt about being around these enemies they didn't know about. Perhaps he was no stranger in being lied to and manipulated into doing something on behalf of the people who tried to control him.

"Then why do you look like him - like my son?" Noir asked.

"You can thank Vexen for that," Nero replied vaguely. "Or you can thank his boss for commissioning him to create a look-alike of a loved one just to trick the target."

It was a rather cryptic answer to why he looks closely like someone Luna had once known in her past, but perhaps it's as far as he's willing to explain for the moment. Maybe while he was with Luna and Sora, one of them might've suspected something in the ruse – either that, or Medea might've been even more suspicious than both of them. That would give a possible explanation as to why his appearance didn't entirely help him succeed in carrying out the orders he was given by the man in charge of the castle.

"But I'll admit, as strange as it sounds for me after all I've experienced with them," Nero suddenly spoke again, "I'm actually glad that the friends she's been around have been a lot better at thinking of her wellbeing than I ever was."

Well, that's something out of the box for him to say. Perhaps his experiences with the new people he met have made him eat a slice of humble pie, and that's why he's slowly shedding off the burdens of his early mistakes? Only three people might be able to shed some light on the extent of the events that transpired topside of the castle.

* * *

Before long, the trio arrived at the gates of a large elegant mansion sitting quietly isolated from the rest of the town; its landscape is desolate and overgrown, and much of the architecture is a bit worn down from years of neglect and disuse from whoever last resided in what could've been a very grand house for the most esteemed of residents. For the former two, they had no idea why they've been brought to a mansion of all things. It didn't look like there's anyone living there at all. Or is the emptiness a ruse, and there is a secret waiting to be revealed inside?

"What is this place?" Noir asked in awe. "I've hardly seen a home like this."

"Maybe Namine is here…" Riku wondered.

"She is. We're almost there," Nero replied, pointing at the entrance.

"Hold it."

The trio jolted, startled at the abrupt interruption, prompting them to turn around to see who just stopped them. For Riku and Noir, they felt surprised to find a familiar face to them from their last encounter – the Riku replica! But there's something…unnervingly different about him, even his demeanor. He wasn't taunting them with arrogance, nor did he say much more to them…at least, for the moment. For Nero, he felt disbelief to find him here of all places. He had thought the copycat had gone off someplace else, perhaps opted to vanish into obscurity. Apparently, those assumptions were dead wrong.

After a moment of tense silence between them, the replica finally made a curious sound that implied he noticed something different about the boy he was duplicated from only he believes he can detect. But even though he did, he didn't sound happy. If anything, he's feeling something contrary to simple jealousy.

"You've changed. Your own darkness – it doesn't frighten you anymore," the replica noted.

"How can you tell?" Riku asked him.

"Because I'm you," the replica replied like it's a simple answer.

"No, I'M me," he retorted.

"'I'm me', he says. Must be nice being real," the replica hissed, his seething envy and anger escalating quickly. "A fake like me could never get away with saying that. That's right; I'm a phony, a fake! The way I look, the way I feel, everything I remember! And even this newfound power!"

Then, surging from within the replica's body, a strong flow of powerful energy surfaced out of him like a violent current. But something about it aroused the dread in Riku and Noir because of how eerily familiar that energy is. That force didn't belong to the replica – it was Zexion's energy! Horror immediately crossed their faces when they realized what extremes he might've done to gain an edge over the real Riku. Even Nero is stunned to see this development in person, even though he knew he had gotten past his dealings with this copycat.

Noir shook her head in disbelief. "What has he done?"

"I don't know…but I don't like it," Nero answered tensely.

Riku had nothing to say, but his face clearly showed how horrified he is to know how far his copycat is willing to go to try and surpass the real deal but to no avail. But the rage of the duplicate is not finished yet, for he now has the urge to put an end to his hellish misery of inferiority once and for all.

"I thought by finding some new strength, I could finally be someone – someone who is not like you!" the replica went on angrily, "But…nothing changes…I'm still just empty! Everything about me is just borrowed. As long as you're around, I'll be nothing more than a shadow!"

Nero felt appalled about this. "Has he lost it completely…?"

Left with no other choice, Riku brandished his blade and prepared himself for his final fight against this miserable replication of the boy he once was.

"Riku…can you handle this?" Noir asked, suspecting her ward might want to handle matters alone.

"I'll be fine, Noir. Just stay with Nero until I've cleaned up this mess," he reassured her confidently.

Luckily for Riku, Nero got the message and gently led Noir out of harm's way just as the one-on-one fight got underway. Needless to say, the replica has certainly gotten stronger and more potent in his skills, almost matching the real Riku in more ways than one. But it's also clear that his combat approach is much more aggressive than Riku has ever done in his previous battles throughout his ventures up the floors. Whatever he's been through had to be very rough, considering how low he holds his own self-esteem.

But that didn't mean Riku wasn't prepared for what the replica might do to him. Thanks to his experiences from past battles, he is able to anticipate what the copycat would do to try and mess him up. Should the replica attempt to launch a purple fireball at him, he would evade it and respond with one of his own; should the replica attempt to perform an attack from above, he'll take a more defensive position just to keep his head from being impaled. Every other technique he used is answered by any other trick Riku picked up, allowing him to efficiently keep up with anything the duplicate can throw at him with relatively little trouble.

But then, the replica pulled one more trick up his sleeves in the aim to turn the tides in his favor once and for all. Using a large portion of the dark power he gained, he used it to attack from every direction in a blink of an eye. From there, Riku had to keep his reflexes sharp and his defenses high just to stay alive in the onslaught.

"Why are you so hung up about being a fake?" Riku demanded an explanation while blocking every attack. "What did you do to end up like this?"

"You think I'm dumb? I know I can't compare to you!" the replica snapped bitterly as he put pressure in his attacks, "Not even Luna wanted to be around me! Anytime I pursued her and tried to bring her to me, all I did to her was frightening her!"

The instant the replica brought up Luna's name and what he had done that caused her to alienate away from him, that sparked a lot of emotions in Riku – particularly horror, disgust and anger. It nauseated him because he had been down that road before with how he handled his dented relations with his friends, especially when he fester an unfounded jealousy in Sora and allowed himself to become increasingly possessive of Luna to the point of trying to force her to leave Sora's side without considering her opinions or feelings. It horrified him to know that she had to endure being chased down by a replica of him who pursued after her like a boyfriend with no cap placed on his insane jealousy. But to hear that the replica had done something to repeat the threatening situations he had brought down on her prior to Ansem hijacking him at his most vulnerable?

That sparked a protective fury in him as he changed up his approach and aggressively knocked the replica off his guard, subsequently performing an unrelenting assault on the Riku replica until he could finally no longer fight back. He didn't like having to do it, but if he didn't do anything, chances are the replica would've continued to seek a means to end his inferiority.

As the battle aura that surrounded the area subsided, Noir and Nero emerged from the sidelines to find Riku standing by the replica as he lay in a pool of energy in resignation at the defeat he suffered at the real deal's hands.

"So…it's over," the replica said with a defeated sigh. "Death doesn't frighten me. Good riddance to a phony life. My heart was never real. I'm sure even what I'm feeling now is probably all fake."

"What are you feeling?" Riku asked in sympathy.

Then, a strange thought crossed the replica's mind. "What happens when a fake like me dies – one like me? Where will my heart go? Does it disappear?"

"It'll go somewhere. Maybe to the same place as mine," Riku replied solemnly.

A deep sadness crossed Noir's face as she stood by Riku's side, stirring a deep, stinging pain as she listened to the emotional conflict of the poor creature that lost its sense of belonging. Nero had no words to say about everything since he doesn't know how best to handle a situation like this one.

The replica let out a sardonic chuckle. "A faithful replica until the very end. That's…okay."

As he spoke his last words, his physical form dissolved away and vanished into nothing as the pool of energy that once surrounded his body dwindled until nothing remained where he once had fallen. The trio could only watch helplessly throughout those short moments, but there did stand a unanimous pity for the person who was newly brought up into the world for all the wrong reasons.

"The poor thing…I can't imagine what tortures he went through," Noir said sadly.

"I guess I can. Though…it is kinda sad," Riku agreed.

Nero reached for the both of them and gently gave them a nudge. "C'mon. Namine is just past the gate. Once we're inside, you'll be glad to have come this far."

Riku and Noir nodded in agreement as they followed behind Nero, who went on ahead to open the gate and led them to the door leading to where they'll be arriving next.

* * *

What greeted them after crossing through the door is a large, blindingly white room where the trio are greeted by what looked to be large pods shaped like flower buds closed up for a seasonal period of time. They didn't have too much time to be able to get a better scope of the surrounding area when Riku spotted a young girl peeking out from behind the larger of the pods in the room. As she shyly emerged from her hiding spot, Nero stepped forward first to give his friend the good news.

"I've brought Riku here as promised," Nero told her, "along with Noir."

She gave a little smile. "I thought you would, Nero."

Puzzled, Riku looked at Nero and then back to the girl. "Are you Namine?"

"Yes," she replied simply.

That's when Riku started to suspect something he didn't fully realize until now. When he was at his lowest point and was cheered on to stand up and fight by Kairi, he thought he had noticed something a little out of place – like someone was impersonating her form. Now he has an idea what went on…

"I see… That was you…" he mused.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

"Forget it," he quickly brushed it aside, "Nothing."

Nero looked over to Namine suspiciously. "What did you do, Namine?"

She shrugged her shoulders a bit before she moved aside to lead them. "Please…come this way."

As she moved aside, Riku and Noir got a glimpse of the large pod in the middle of the room as they caught sight of a young boy in red, apparently asleep. It didn't take long for Riku to recognize who it was inside that pod.

"Sora!" he cried as he ran over to get a better look, if just to make sure his friend is okay.

Worried for what might've happened, Noir followed him to see what the matter was. To their shock, Sora is seen to be in some kind of slumber, not responsive. There didn't seem to be anything physically wrong with him, so what is he doing here in the first place?

Riku turned to Namine, a bit agitated at the sight of his friend's condition. "What did you do to Sora?"

"Nothing. He's just asleep," Namine replied quickly, "to get his memory back."

"Did something happen to him when he got here?" Noir asked.

"I think it's best if you just take a breath while we try to explain everything," Nero suggested.

From there, Namine and Nero took their turns explaining to Riku and Noir about all that transpired within the halls of Castle Oblivion – from Sora and company's arrival to the tampering of their memories, from the schemes of Marluxia and his co-conspirator to the tensions and heartbreaks that occurred from within the visiting party, from the reveal of the lies created by the efforts of Namine and Nero's powers to the ultimate downfall of the mastermind behind the trouble that the castle and the villains alongside him. All of that accumulated to the point where something had to be done to restore the memories of Sora and two of his companions. Throughout the conversation, though, it's noticed that mentions of anyone else who was involved was rather minimal, almost as though they're hiding particular details they didn't want to address yet. But where Riku stood, he thought it better not to press them for what information they're hiding at the moment until he can find a chance to bring up the burning issue, at least for Noir's sake.

"So Sora chose to forget about this castle…and get his old memories back?" Riku asked in summary.

"That's pretty much the gist of everything," Nero replied.

"I guess that explains why there's an unconventional recovery process going on here," Noir said as she finally made sense of it all.

"You have a choice to make, too," Namine said to Riku.

That confused him. "Why me, too? No one's messed with my memories."

"It's not your memories," she replied, "It's your darkness. In your heart, there is darkness, and in that darkness is Ansem. He may be at bay for now – but eventually he'll wake, and he will take over you just like he did before. But I have powers you can use. With my powers, I can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you."

That almost sounded very tempting to accept. Riku would've loved to be freed from the burden of Ansem dogging him and harassing him at every turn. But there's just one thing that is bothering him too much that he can't not speak up about…

"What happens to me if I let you do that?" he asked her, "Will I forget everything like Sora?" Her silence spoke volumes on what the answer is. "I'll have to."

"The darkness inside you will be sealed tight just like your memory," Namine clarified. "You'll stop remembering the darkness. You'll go back to how you were. Riku, please choose."

"But if helps, you don't have to rush the decision," Nero added in reassurance.

"In all honesty, I don't think I'd like the idea of Riku forgetting so much," Noir disagreed in concern. "He's already been through so much, and…well, I dread him not recalling how we met here and all we've been through together."

He knew she had a good point. He had been through so much peril himself, and when he was brought into the castle, his experiences with Noir had been a huge help in navigating the castle basement when all is said and done. And besides, even if he did agree to have a lock around his heart just to keep Ansem at bay, would anything ever be the same at home? Wouldn't he just be back at square one, or would he truly be different than he was before the destruction of the islands?

He looked over at the sleeping Sora as he thought of something he remembered very well during his time on the islands. Whenever there was something going on between them, whether it was a game or they were trying to do something productive in their pursuits, there was always one person who just loved to do something else while others are pulling their weights.

He couldn't help shaking his head at the silly memories. "He doesn't even look worried. Will I sleep like that, too?"

"Yes," Namine replied.

Riku scoffed lightly. "Figures. Sora always did as he pleased."

Noir looked at him with curiosity. "Really? Sora was always like that?"

"Yep. Whatever we'd be doing, he'd find a way to slack off," Riku replied jokingly. "Even trying to leave the islands – I did all the work on the raft by myself. That's it. When this slacker wakes up, I'll tell him off. I told him to take care of Kairi and here is taking a nap!" He shook his head. "But I can't chew him out like he deserves – if I've been asleep. I don't need my heart locked. I'm ready – I'm gonna fight Ansem."

That got Namine worried. "But what if his darkness overtakes you?"

"If that happens, then the darkness will show me the way," Riku replied confidently.

Noir smiled at him proudly. "You've certainly grown past your fears, haven't you, Riku? I'm proud of you."

"Yes… That's true," Namine agreed, "You're right, Noir."

"Why do I get the feeling that you knew I would say that?" Riku wondered sarcastically.

"I didn't know. I hoped," she answered honestly. "I wanted you to face the darkness, because you're the one who can."

Now it all made sense for Riku. Perhaps Nero didn't know about it, but when Riku was having serious trouble when confronting the situation on the islands, he had been miraculously saved from despair by someone he thought he knew. But on the real, it was somebody else, someone who knew just the right face to motivate him to get right back up.

"So that's the reason – that's why you came to my rescue inside that light…" Riku finally understood, "…in the form of Kairi."

That surprised Namine a bit. "When did you know?"

"I knew when I met you," Riku replied knowingly, "You and Kairi smell the same."

"Okay, now you're making the situation even more awkward," Nero groaned in displeasure.

But there still is one loose end that needs to be tied up. Considering how Sora is here, and he's asleep, there's still one lingering issue: where the rest of the group is.

Thankfully, Noir is the first to bring this up. "I don't mean to change the subject so soon, but shouldn't there be someone else with Sora?"

"I didn't even see Luna in a pod or something," Riku agreed, "Where is she? She's safe, isn't she?"

"Took ya long enough to get here, kid! I was almost ready to hunt down Nero if he didn't bring your ass up here!"

Upon hearing that familiar hot-headed woman's voice, Riku looked over Nero's side to spot a familiar face seated beside a sleeping girl. It didn't take him long to recognize that the woman is Medea, Luna's Shadow Guardian. He could see she's sitting cross-legged as she tapped her fingers impatiently against her arms as she gave an irritated frown that spoke how much she hated waiting for the delivery to arrive. And that girl who's lying down on her side, oblivious to the new developments? His eyes widened as he registered the doll-curled hair and the black and blue colors of her clothes of the person he sorely missed – Luna! Almost immediately, he rushed ahead of Noir as he hurried to meet the girls personally.

"What the hell took you so long to get here?" the Guardian demanded to know.

"Nice to see you, too, Medea," Riku answered sarcastically. "I can tell your temper hasn't been lost on you."

"And I can tell you're still a cocky ass," Medea replied, "But whatever. You're here anyway, and you got outta that hellhole somehow. I bet you got a lot of explaining to do."

"I'll explain later. So, what happened to Luna?" Riku asked as he turned his attention to his sleeping friend, "Did she tire herself out again? What did she do this time?"

"Well, let's see: we've been harassed by a bunch of jackasses, bickering over stupid crap, and having to beat the ever living snot out of a smug jackass who wanted to kidnap my master and play with Sora like a damn puppet for his little puppet show," Medea listed off sarcastically. "But since we're past all that, poor Luna got so tuckered out that Nero had to force her to take a nap while he went off to find ya and bring your ass over here. I've been waiting here with her until we can see your face in this boring as hell room."

Riku couldn't help shaking his head at the crude comments. He didn't know why, but he can't help thinking he's gotten used to hearing the trash talk coming out of Medea's mouth. At least she hasn't changed all that much.

He knelt down to Luna and proceeded to lightly shake her until she slowly started to stir from her sleep, apparently not knowing what's going on as she let out a weary yawn.

"Just a little longer, please…" she mumbled sleepily, "It's been a long hike…"

"Aw, c'mon, Luna," Riku teased her, "I thought you wanted to see me again. Are you too tired for even that?"

Puzzled at the voice, Luna struggled to hoist herself up as smaller Shadow Hands emerged to help her straighten herself into a proper seating position. She blinked a few times before she finally registered there's someone in the room with her.

"Riku…?" Her eyes widened once she recognized him. "Riku, it is you! You're here, for real this time!"

Immediately, she reached out with open arms and tightly embraced Riku like he's her lifeline, which he reciprocated since he had been eager to get back with her again. He couldn't blame her, really, considering how he was clued into the knowledge she was tricked by a replica of him while she was in the castle. He just felt relieved to know that she's safe, and that she made it through Castle Oblivion with her companions. Though, it seems to him that her Guardian is the only company she has right now.

Nero couldn't help snorting lightly at the scene. "Is she always this clingy with you?"

"If you've been around her as long as I have, then you'd know what it's like," Riku replied in a joking manner.

"I missed you, Riku. You had me worried ever since we closed that door," Luna said happily.

"I know. I missed you, too," Riku replied, sharing her sentiment. "I wouldn't have been able to make it here without a little help."

She tilted her head in confusion. "A little help…? Did you make a new friend?"

"Actually…it's more like she mothered me the whole time I've been here," he corrected her. He turned around to Noir and signaled her to come over. "Hey, Noir! You wanna come over here and meet Luna?"

She really wanted to. She wanted to go over there so bad. But something made her hesitate at approaching. Noir had no idea how this young grown girl would respond to seeing her. Sure, she knows who Luna is, but…she didn't know what to do. Ten years have passed, and she wasn't too sure whether this young lady would know her, let alone recognize her.

"Don't be afraid, Noir."

In surprise, Noir turned to Namine, who smiled at her knowingly.

"Riku has to know some time," Namine encouraged her.

Moved by Namine's support, she gathered up her courage and joined in with Riku for her first meeting. While she certainly did notice the puzzled look on the redheaded woman's face, what really gave her a lump in her throat is when she looked into the eyes of Riku's friend Luna for the first time. Where she had once seen dulled green eyes that lost their innocent shine; now she can see a new light gleam differently from the last. Where a small child used to be is now a budding young lady that replaced her. But one thing is still familiar to her: the face.

Before she knew it, Luna spoke in a soft surprise, "…Mama?"

That one word…

When was the last time she heard that word spoken to her?

She couldn't contain it any longer. Joy and grief swelled up and exploded as Noir succumbed to tears and vigorously embraced the young lady. She just couldn't stop crying – for herself, for her child, and for all the misfortunes that had followed in the past. She didn't notice that Luna clutched her shoulders as though she meant to try and console her and reciprocate the deep loving embrace that came unexpectedly.

"Mama…is it really you?" Luna asked shyly.

"Luna…my baby… I'm so sorry!" she sobbed uncontrollably. "I didn't mean to get you into so much trouble! I was a terrible, terrible mother! I couldn't even help you when you lost your mind to the traumatic horrors!" Once all the feelings of guilt and grief and joy spilled out, she couldn't stop herself. "But look at you – how did you grow so quickly? How did you come to be here in the first place? What would Mickey think if he saw you now?"

At first impression, Riku was dumbfounded when he heard Noir ranting like an overly worried sick mother. But when he heard her refer to Luna as her baby, that reminded him of his last conversation he had with her when he asked her questions about her past: she had told him that she had two children, one of which is daughter named Luna. And now that he's seeing both women together, he actually noticed striking similarities between them to an extent – the most difference being the mother having dark curled hair and blue eyes while Luna had blond curled hair and green eyes. Now things are starting to make sense to him!

Medea, however, had no idea what was going on. "What the hell's with her, Riku?"

"Long story," Riku replied, "I'll explain everything later. But for now, we'd better get going. We need to find Mickey."

Luna turned to Riku in surprise. "Mickey? King Mickey is here?"

By that time, Noir finally calmed down so she could speak properly. "Yes, Mickey's here in the castle."

"If I were a betting man, I'd guess he's on the next floor," Nero speculated, "considering he didn't follow us through this floor."

"Riku, could you tell me what you and my mama went through while we go?" Luna asked.

"It's going to be a long story," he warned her.

"Then perhaps I could help fill in the details," Noir offered.

"Good, 'cuz I wanna know what kinda crazy crap you had to deal with," Medea gladly agreed.

As the newly gathered group started to make their way out of the pod chamber, Riku turned to face Namine one last time as he gave her an appreciative smile for what she's done.

"Thanks for watching Luna," he said gratefully, "Look after Sora."

Namine nodded. "I will."


	31. Chapter 30: Finale - Riku

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **And we're getting very close to the conclusion of this storyline. Can you believe it? All that's left for me to do is to bring in the epilogues and then I'll be making preparations for the next story. For those of you who want to know what the next one will be, it will be called 'Fractured Hearts', and as you already know, it'll take place during 358/2 Days.**

 **Now, since we've made it this far, I'd like to make a hefty announcement to all my viewers and readers who have stuck with me through this excruciating story.**

 **Before I bring in the three last chapters, I'd like make one last call to all of you for suggestions on Disney worlds and/or Final Fantasy characters you want appearing in the next fic. And please, if there's anyone who hasn't participated in the proposition yet, come forward while you have the chance.**

 **Just to remind all of you about the qualifiers, I'll be laying it down one last time so that you can make your decisions a little easier:**

 **1) No Star Wars or Marvel. I see these films as their own separate thing.**

 **2) Live action movies (even any mixed with animation) are acceptable provided they are made entirely by Disney. So, no Roger Rabbit.**

 **3) Pixar is open for acceptance. Just don't suggest any of the worlds that will be brought into Kingdom Hearts 3 (but I have made an exception for Big Hero 6, so rejoice).**

 **4) Studio Ghibli movies are fair game provided they are dubbed by Disney. Princess Mononoke is disqualified.**

 **5) I am not accepting TV shows made by Disney.**

 **6) Lastly, I am not accepting any anime that isn't dubbed by Disney, meaning nothing from Shonen Jump, Funimation, Aniplex, etc.**

 **As for the bonus, I am accepting suggestions for Final Fantasy characters you guys want to make guest appearances.**

 **Just so I can hear from you, please leave your suggestions of worlds and/or Final Fantasy characters in a review or send your ideas in a PM, and I will be sure to take notes on them and speak with my creative consultant over them.**

 **And just to sweeten the deal, when I find an opportunity to get writing the next story and I post a chapter with the chosen world, I'll be sure to be nice and give your guys the credit for what suggestions you've offered. Can't say no to that, can you? :)**

 **Also, just out of curiosity, let me ask tough question: Does anybody want me to take a shot at writing a fanfic following the storyline of the Kingdom Hearts mobile game I never invested into? Please give me a good reason whether to consider it or no. I'm all ears.**

 **So with that announcement concluded, enjoy!**

 **To Mattman: I'm okay. I just stayed up later than I reasonably should. Now, in answer to your questions - 1) I would've wanted to beat Marluxia's ass, because he's one of those characters I love to hate. 2) I have no idea. each of them hold a lot of promise in their own right. I can't decide on any of them. 3) I can't be the proper judge since I've never invested in the Kingdom Hearts X game. Pretty stupid on me. :/**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are not acceptable.**

* * *

Chapter 30: Finale – Riku

"You seriously went through the damn basement with Luna's mom without even knowing the relations?" Medea asked, dumbfounded.

"Not at first. I mean, how was I supposed to know the connection until she told me?" Riku replied.

As they left the pod chamber, Riku told Luna and Medea about everything he experienced in the castle basement from start to finish. The story he had to tell proved to be quite compelling for the girls as he told them about his first meeting Noir not long after arriving at the castle, and how she helped him navigate up the floors on their way to find his friends. He didn't shy away from speaking of the people they encountered on their way up such as the three men in the black coats and the replica created from Riku's data as well as those bouts when Ansem tried to make trouble for them. In Noir's case, she spoke eloquently of her venturing with Riku as she spoke of how determined he was to find his friends and make amends with them. She even enjoyed speaking of the lovely conversations they've had when they got to know one another more, some of the topics being a little embarrassing for Riku to remember because a few of them involved moments he really didn't want to talk about. Though, the latter topics were mostly spoken of just to tease the young boy she accompanied.

"Now I know why Axel withheld information earlier…" Luna recalled. "He must've known all along something was going on downstairs."

Noir looked to her daughter, puzzled. "Axel? You've met him, too?"

"Damn straight we did – twice. And both times he loved to pick on us," Medea replied.

"After everything that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if he had already left," Nero added, "Who knows what he's doing now?"

After their conversation, Riku opened the large doors and all of them walked into the castle halls where Mickey is found waiting. For Luna, the moment she saw the familiar face of the mouse king, a sense of excitement surfaced as she hurried to greet a face from her distant past she hadn't seen in years.

"Mickey! You're here!" she exclaimed with joy.

Mickey jumped in joyful surprise. "Luna! You're here, too."

Immediately, Luna and Mickey hugged each other, each very glad to see the other after having not met again in years.

"Gosh, you've grown a lot since I last saw you. How have you been?" Mickey asked her jovially. "Have you been doing well?"

"Yes, a lot better, thank you. My friends helped me recover," Luna replied, "I heard that I made you worried from Donald and Goofy, and you even tried looking for me. I'm sorry that I made you distressed about me so much."

"Aw, that's fine. I learned you're safe, and with new friends to take care of you," the mouse king reassured her, "I just never thought I'd meet you here in this castle, but I'm okay with that."

"Believe it, rodent. After all the hell she's been going through, I'd say it's a good thing you got here," Medea commented.

Riku shook his head with a smile on his face, chuckling at how casually the king took seeing Luna face to face. He also thought her spoken familiarity with King Mickey was just too cute to listen to because she behaved much like the innocent child he knew ten years ago all over again, warmly greeting the king like an old friend she hadn't seen in a long time.

Once things calmed down between Luna and Mickey, the mouse king then turned his attention to Riku. There's a knowing look in his eyes as though he knew full well what went down inside that world and the subsequent visit that Nero arranged for Riku and Noir personally.

"Gosh, I guess you decided not to go to sleep," he said.

"How'd you know that?" Riku asked him.

"I heard it from DiZ," Mickey replied.

Luna titled her head, confused. "Who…?"

Following where Mickey turned his attention to, everyone else saw the man in red waiting by the wall of the castle hall. Had he been listening to everything that went on between them before they arrived here? Seems so, because the moment he saw the new faces in the hallway, he stepped away from the wall to meet them personally.

"Who the hell is that? A mummy?" Medea asked bluntly.

Nero sighed at the comment. "No, Medea. That's not a mummy. I don't even know who he is."

Suspicious of the stranger, Riku asked the king, "Do you know him?"

"Well, I'm not sure," Mickey replied with uncertainty, "Gotta feelin' I've met him…somewhere…"

When Luna got a good look at the strange man, there was an uncanny feeling of familiarity that crossed her mind about him. She could've sworn that she should have an idea of who she's seeing cross her path. But the problem was, she couldn't even remember what it was or where she knew this person. It's too bad she still doesn't have all of her memories restored from before her arrival at the islands…

"It's strange…I feel like I should know him, too…" Luna mused, "But…I wish I knew where…"

It wasn't easily noticeable, but when DiZ faced them, his eyes scanned across them one by one; but seeing Luna's face, no one saw his eye briefly widen in shock before they narrowed down once again.

Now wanting an explanation, Riku got straight to the point. "Hey, who are you?"

"I could be nobody or anybody," DiZ replied vaguely, "It is up to you whether you choose to believe me or not."

"Boy, you really like pushing decisions on other people," he deadpanned.

"And he sure as hell loves to sound cryptic," Medea agreed sarcastically.

"And you have pushed away slumber making the choice to face Ansem," DiZ remarked.

"Do you think I'm reckless?" Riku questioned.

"You have chosen your own path," the man in red continued on.

"Are you supporting me, or are you abandoning me?" he pressed for answers.

"That will be your choice as well," DiZ replied.

"Even if Riku does make his choice, I want to stay by his side as long as I can," Luna said.

"Hey, if you're gonna do that, then I'm stickin' with ya both," Medea seconded her master's conviction.

"So will I," Noir agreed protectively.

"They're getting no arguments from me," Nero added.

DiZ nodded as he approached them with something peculiar in hand: black hooded coats similar to that of the people they've encountered in Castle Oblivion, down to the smallest detail. What was he doing with those things? Well, one thing is for certain: each of them was certainly tailored to fit people other than the original wearers.

"What's this?" Riku asked out of curiosity.

"The Organization will pursue you," DiZ explained, hinting at pretty much all of them. "Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. However – this cloak that is worn by Nobodies will render their eyes and their noses useless." He paused. "The ears, not so… They wear this to give themselves protection from being devoured by darkness. Is it clear? Even the Organization cannot rule the darkness."

That made sense for them, all things considered. With Sora, Donald and Goofy incapacitated from recovering their memories and the rest of them still active and intact, it's likely that there are other members involved in the organized group they haven't met yet – unless Nero knows the others, but that hasn't been addressed right now. And should any of them catch wind of their movements, there's a possible chance one of them would be put in serious peril at the hands of this new enemy. By this point, any of them could be targeted by this Organization for one reason or another.

But Riku didn't feel too worried about it. "Doesn't matter. I won't run from the darkness."

DiZ gave a small 'hm', almost as though he had a strong suspicion Riku is not going to back down from a challenge regardless of the peril he's pulling himself into. He pulled out a card from his satchel and tossed it over his way, which Riku caught efficiently like he had done several times before. This time, it's just one card, and this one bore the image of the very castle they are all inside. But what's the purpose of this card in particular, considering that most of the members of this Organization are pretty much gone by this point?

DiZ had a solid answer about it. "The card will draw out your heart's darkness. Finish your business with Ansem."

Riku looked over to Mickey and the others. "Come on. Let's go."

Riku and Mickey led the way up the final floor of the castle basement with Luna and the remaining party following not too far behind them. However, for a moment, Noir stopped beside DiZ with a suspicious stare.

"I don't know who you are, or what your agenda is," Noir warned, "but I promise you I'll be keeping watch of you after we leave this place."

There was a brief silence between them before DiZ answered strangely, "I suspected you'd say that…Lady Noir."

For a brief moment, Noir raised a puzzled brow at the man in red for the way he addressed her in his response. But because there wasn't much time to pry any answers out of him, she only gave a small indifferent 'hm' as she marched her way upstairs without a second glance. Unbeknownst to her, however, DiZ turned a moment to watch her depart with a knowing look in his eyes…

* * *

What greeted the party is the door leading to the final basement floor. For Riku, it can mean only one thing: he's about to engage in a confrontation with Ansem, to find out whether or not he has what it takes to confront the monster that tried to maintain his influence and control over him and show that he is much stronger than Ansem in more ways than one. For Luna, it meant that once Riku has faced off against Ansem, she would have to rely on other people for support while Sora and the boys are in a slumber. How long could that be? She doesn't know. But it is clear that Luna and Riku would have to be extra careful when they leave the castle, as DiZ forewarned to them. If they don't watch their backs while they are out and about, there's a good chance someone will notice and one of them would become the prime targets for the Organization one way or another.

Riku looked up at the door. "He said this card will draw Ansem out…"

"Then he will likely at his peak strength once he's loose," Noir had reason to believe.

"Don't worry! We can defeat him together!" Mickey said confidently.

He shook his head. "Sorry… I have to face him alone."

That shocked the rest of the party. Is he seriously planning on jumping right into the fray by himself?

"But why?!" Mickey exclaimed in horror.

"Riku…what if that's what Ansem wants you to do?" Luna asked worriedly.

"This doesn't feel right," Noir agreed, "If you struggle, who will help you back on your feet?"

"There's no point in doing this if I can't do this on my own," Riku reasoned, "But I do need a favor. If Ansem is the victor, he will try to enslave me. If that happens, one of you must use your powers to destr-"

"Of course! I'll be right there to save ya!" Mickey interrupted.

That stunned Riku. "Huh? No, that's not it. I want one of you to destr-"

"No way! No matter what happens, I'm gonna be right there to help ya," Mickey insisted firmly. "I promise ya that. Unless…you don't believe I'll come through for ya…"

"In all honesty, Riku, I've been around you long enough to want the best for you," Noir agreed earnestly, "I'd rather not see you in pain as you were while that monster tried to chain you to him. If you truly want no more part with him, then you must be certain you can beat him at his own game."

"Riku…it already hurt when Ansem tried to take you from me," Luna added sadly, "Please don't say you might lose. I want _you_ to come back strong, _not_ him."

"And believe me, pal, I don't wanna see my master lose her mind over losing someone close to her again," Medea agreed in her master's defense.

"I may not have been through what you did," Nero stated simply, "but I'd rather there be no more victims to cruel hearts."

Hearing all these words coming out of those he befriended and that he just met gave Riku second thoughts on his position – for the right reasons. What was he thinking, suggesting that he might lose for all to hear? Really, he should've known how the others would react to his aim to face against Ansem. Besides, he had just found his way to Luna again, Noir has been one of his closest allies while the king was trying to find his own way out of the realm of darkness, and Mickey never gave up on him every step of the way. And Nero – he wanted to know more about him, maybe get to know him better. If he thought he would lose to Ansem, he might as well have already lost completely. No, now he doesn't want to think about it unless he tries his hardest to fight his enemy until he can fight no more.

He couldn't help smiling at this. "I choose to believe in you – always, Your Majesty…and all of you."

"And I in you," Mickey shared the same sentiment. "You're not gonna lose, I know it."

Riku felt moved. "Thanks."

At the first chance, Luna shyly took Riku's hand as she requested, "Riku…please come back safe. I mean it."

He answered her with a comforting hug. "Don't worry, Luna. I'll be fine, I promise."

As he parted ways with Luna and the others, everyone watched him as he used the final card to unlock the door and made his way inside alone. Now, only time will tell whether Riku will succeed in his showdown against Ansem and prove he is stronger than what that monster gives him credit for. All that can be done for him now is to bide their time and wait for any signs of the possible outcome…

* * *

The hallway laid bare all around him, leading a long distance down through the remainder of the castle. Somehow, Riku had a sinking feeling that reaching Ansem is not going to be as simple as he thought it would be. Besides, why would he want to show his face right away? He probably would've wanted to savor the notion of taunting and undermining his intended victim for as long as possible before he goes in full force to tear apart any remaining defenses Riku would attempt to put up against him. Ansem has tried more than once to bring him down low enough to exploit his moment of vulnerability in order to reinstate his control. There's no way he would ever allow that to happen again!

Impatiently, Riku brandished his blade as he scanned the hall for traces of his nemesis – the nemesis he really wants to cut down right now.

"Ansem! Where are you? Show yourself!" he demanded.

The devious chuckle of Ansem's voice echoed off in the otherwise empty hall. He's here, somewhere, and he knows that the boy has arrived to settle the score.

"Why in such a hurry?" Ansem asked nonchalantly, "I'll be here at the very heart of darkness… Watching you plunge into the same darkness – inside of you."

Riku had a strong feeling the smug monster was gloating in what he believes would an easy victory for him. Oh, is he going to be in for a rude wake-up when he finds him… Once he finds Ansem, he's going to make him wish he had never manipulated him into accepting the dark powers he had to offer. He fully intends to make him pay for giving Sora and Luna a hard time, even make him pay for threatening to tear them apart. And he really wants Ansem to know that he wants nothing to do with him anymore.

* * *

"Gosh, you've been through a lot, haven't you, Luna?"

Since their reunion, Mickey had started asking questions to Luna about what her nine years have been from the moment she arrived on the islands to her journey with Sora across the worlds up to the events in Castle Oblivion. She would answer him to the best of her ability about what went down with her and her friends as well as what new developments occurred that the king didn't know about, and she did her best to not leave out too many details that needed to be known, if just in case any words of wisdom can be provided for the latest problems that came along. On the bright side, the king is an incredibly intent listener as he took in the information that came out from her.

"Well…it hasn't been easy, Mickey," Luna replied with a sigh. "If what that man – DiZ, I think he called himself – said is true, then that means each of us could in danger because of this group he spoke about."

"You and me both, girl," Medea agreed, "We've had enough trouble when that flowery creeper and his crew claimed to have known Luna in the past, and that's not even mentioning the emo guy actually attempting to kidnap my master while Sora's nowhere within earshot. After all that crap, I wouldn't wanna know who else is actin' like a stalker."

The disturbing information got Noir worried. "Kidnap? Stalker? When did anyone try to do that?"

"Just recently," Nero replied bluntly, "I'm honestly amazed she narrowly evaded all the members stationed here."

"This is true…but I did learn something new I wasn't aware of because of Zexion – that young man Medea mentioned," Luna agreed as she told what she knew. "If what I heard from him is correct, he said that the people he worked with couldn't find me for nine years after I disappeared until the overrun of Heartless. But…there's one problem about that: I still don't have all of my memories restored on what I experienced before arriving on the islands. I do finally remember some of the people I've met at the time, but…I still can't recall anything else beyond that."

No words came out for Mickey for a moment, but when Luna mentioned that she still doesn't have all of her memories from her past completely recovered, it gave him some thoughts on the situation. In his mind, he wondered if something happened that affected her mind to the point of repressing her memories. Well, there's no way to know since he hasn't gotten the chance to meet anyone who might be able to shed light on the matter.

"Oh…I didn't know about that," Noir admitted remorsefully.

"How would you?" Nero asked her, "Even I don't know the finer details of the situation. Those people in the Organization – you wouldn't believe what lengths they'd go to just to get what they want."

It worried Luna a bit more. "Are we in danger once we leave?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if we still are," Medea grumbled under her breath.

But the king still had a little optimism under his belt. "Well, maybe we're not out of the woods just yet. But that doesn't mean we can't handle what's out there. So long as we stick together, I think we'll be okay."

That seemed to calm Luna down. "I would hope so…"

"Sure hope Riku can share the same sentiment…" Nero mumbled under his breath.

* * *

If there's one thing Riku is certain about, it's that the Heartless roaming about in the halls are not going to make reaching Ansem any easier. The numbers and the strengths of the creatures he's facing are on a whole different level than the ones he and Noir have encountered in their wandering through the card-worlds; it's more akin to the fiends he had been around with in Hollow Bastion or in the dark realm that he wound up in after he had resisted Ansem the first time around. Luckily for him, he at least had some inside knowledge on how the Heartless to know how to handle the tougher crowd. That did for the most part make navigating through the halls more bearable. Though, he didn't deny that it felt a little weird fighting without Noir to help him out. She was a constant help for him, both emotionally and combatively. He owed her a lot for supporting him during their time in Castle Oblivion, especially since she kept him company while the king tried to find a way out on his own and helped in through thick and thin. Maybe he could find a way to repay her eventually…

But right now, he can't think about that. He can sense Ansem's presence more and more. That's a sure sign he's getting closer to the meeting place. He came this far, and now that he's on his own, he knows that he'll have to pull out all the stops if he wants to break free from Ansem's hold for good. He wants to prove once and for all that he can be stronger, that he has no need for the villain's influence, and only he can decide his own fate.

.

.

Finally, he arrived at the end of the hallway, greeted by an empty box of a room that led to a dead end. But he knew that he arrived at where he wants to be. Riku gathered his wits together as he prepared his nerves for the final showdown. The only thing that needs to be done is to extend out the invitation…

"I smell you, Ansem," he said knowingly, "Show yourself."

Right on cue, Ansem arrived on the scene from the darkness, like he had been waiting to be called for quite a while. Riku could easily see the look on his face; that man thinks he knows what he's doing, but he's got another thing coming for him.

"I watched you fight," Ansem noted to him, "I know your strength. Your skill with darkness has grown. It has become more mature." But then, a frustrated frown crossed his face. "And yet, why… Why do you accept the darkness, yet you still refuse me? You know you and I are similar. We both follow where the darkness leads. Indeed, we are the same – so why? Does some part of you still hold a fear of the dark?"

Riku shook his head. "No, that's not it. The truth is…" On instinct, he summoned his blade to his side and readied himself for a confrontation. "I just can't stand your foul stench."

Hearing this answer, Ansem grew angry. "You are a fool. You should know my powers well by now."

"Yeah, I know," Riku retorted, "Or did you forget? I used all the power you had to give – and Sora and Luna still beat me. I'm not at all impressed with your powers!"

By this point, Ansem knew that Riku had him beat right there. He had underestimated Sora's keyblade and Luna's power over the shadows more than once. But the truth of the matter is, he just didn't want to admit he had a few wrenches in his mechanisms. However, he just didn't care. He refuses to lose to a defiant child who had been subjected to his whims. No, he's had enough of Riku's resistance. He'll just have to bring Riku down the hard way since he won't buckle down under him that easily.

"Very well," Ansem replied in annoyance, "In that case – You shall sink into the abyss!"

With a mighty surge flowing out of the fiber of his being, Ansem unleashed a tremendous flood of dark energy that enveloped the entirety of the room. The most Riku could do by that point is to hold his blade in a defensive position as he braced against the tidal wave of darkness that rushed all around him. By the time the storm had passed, he regained his sight to find that the environment had changed drastically into something more akin to the dark world he had been inside the moment he helped close the door. And to add a tasteless cherry on top of this unsavory cake, he can see Ansem poised and ready for battle as he hovered smugly in the air with his demonic hulking Guardian lurking behind him with a beastly growl rumbling under its bound mouth. Of course his nemesis would do that – he would've wanted to ensure that he has the home field advantage in any way he can.

However, it's the battle itself that proved to be the biggest moment as two people with the same affinity but radically different viewpoints on the subject matter. Whereas Riku got up close and personal with his skills and arsenal most of the time, Ansem loved to make himself annoying with his ranged abilities as well as making good use of his Guardian to keep the boy on his toes at all times. The good news for Riku is that, when the need arose, he is able to tap into just enough dark energy to don the armor he had worn during his confrontation with Sora and Luna for a little extra defense, if mostly just to ensure he didn't go down so easily. Plus, thanks to the additional tricks he learned under the watch of the witch and the like, he is able to keep Ansem on his toes just as much as his enemy is at every opportunity.

"I think I know where your stubbornness started to escalate, no matter what I've tried to sway you back," Ansem growled as he braced his Guardian for his defense, "You've been listening to Noir too much, haven't you? No wonder you just won't back down no matter what I say."

That hit a raw nerve on Riku's part. "Don't you DARE talk about Noir like that! At least she had better ideas on handling the dark than you do!"

Angered at a companion being wrongly insulted, Riku brought his trump cards as he made a bold leap into the air and launched down an attack from above on the Guardian, hammering it down until it was rendered incapacitated. This left Ansem to pick up the pieces as he forced himself to step up his game until his protector recovered its strength – and boy howdy, did he know just the thing to give Riku a headache. Despite the Guardian being momentarily disabled, he still had power on his own to charge right at Riku with a barrier as he rushed through the battlefield in an attempt to run his young enemy over in the worst hit-and-run ever known. But Riku came prepared for it with his athleticism he had developed since boyhood, narrowly evading the oncoming charge at every single opportunity.

"Is that all you can do?" Riku prodded at his enemy's ego. "C'mon, try and get me!"

By this point, Ansem has come to feel very irritated that this boy has the gall to mock him and his power. Using every ounce he has to spare, the Seeker of Darkness let loose his power once more just as his Guardian regained its strength. At every possible chance, he used his Guardian's aid to unleash shockwaves or letting loose blades of energy like beams shot out from a magic sword. But Riku came well prepared for that sort of thing as he kept himself at a distance, waiting for the right opportunity to go in for a potent blow.

"Submit!" Ansem roared as he made one last-ditch effort to turn the tides.

Feeling pushed to the edge, Ansem made one last attempt to turn things around in his favor as he sic his Guardian out to ensnare at Riku at the first possible chance. But he didn't figure what Riku would do in retaliation for this last-ditch effort. Almost immediately, from the moment the Guardian sank into the shadows, it reminded Riku of what Luna would do when she attempted a stealthy approach. So, with that personal knowledge in mind, he acted quickly and jumped away as the Guardian surfaced with its hand outstretched as though to grab him at crush him with its bare hand. This happened a few more times, which Riku handled effectively, until it returned to its master long enough to unleash a shockwave of dark energy that surged across the arena from multiple different angles. But this time, Riku made a daring jump into the air, which allowed him to prepare for a brutal beating he intends to make good on.

"You're done!" he answered as he readied his blade.

Then, without a word of warning, it appeared like Riku disappeared into thin air, baffling Ansem as he tried to search for his nemesis. But then, when he least expected it, he suddenly felt himself experiencing a cut across his body, and then another and another. By the time he regained enough of his senses to realize what was happening, it was already too late, as he quickly found himself about to be greeted with a downward strike from Riku's blade as it pierced through him and his Guardian both, causing the fiend to disappear from existence and Ansem to fall to the floor with barely any strength left to keep him from collapsing completely.

* * *

Abruptly, Noir looked toward the door in dread. "The auras… Has the battle waned?"

Immediately after Noir's concerns, Mickey and Luna suddenly felt on edge, sensing that something is happening just beyond the door. They knew Riku was about to confront Ansem – and he might as well be if what Noir has said is any indication – and he means to do whatever he can to overcome Ansem. But the problem is this: has Riku won, as he promised he would do, or is in trouble?

"I'm going after him!" Mickey declared as he started running for the door, "He might in trouble!"

Luna got up quickly as she hurried to follow behind. "Wait for me! I'm coming, too!"

Noir started to chase after them, too, fearing the worst for Riku. "I'm right behind you!"

Nero and Medea tried to keep up with the three that just ran off without warning, but by the time they recognized what was going on, neither of them were fast enough to ask questions on what was going on and could only chase after them, if only to make sure nothing serious happened to them once they've followed Riku's trail.

* * *

The battle is over, but neither of them is down for the count yet. Though it was a tiring fight, Riku could feel that he still has some energy left to finish the job. The same thing cannot be said about Ansem, though; though he displays a show of resilience, it's clear from his buckled knees that he's about ready to collapse at any moment, but he's too stubborn to realize he's on his last legs. A low, guttural growl escaped Ansem's lips as he realized that he has reached his limits – but he refused to go down without one more chance to bring down his target once and for all.

"Insolent brat!" he bellowed.

With what limited might he had left, Ansem let loose a surge of energy at Riku, forcing him to block it to protect himself. But Riku mustered just enough strength to cut the orb of darkness into nothing as he readied to deliver the final blow.

"Ansem!" he growled, having felt enough is enough.

With one decisive blow, he sliced right through Ansem, catching the once smug snake off-guard and sending him reeling from the last blow he received. Now, where Riku is concerned, he knows that he has finally triumphed over this monster that tormented him in the castle.

"This is the end!" he said triumphantly.

But Ansem refused to simply accept defeat. "This is…hardly…the end… Your darkness – I gave it…all to you… My dark shadow…lingers… Someday… Someday…I will return!"

As he succumbed to the inevitability of his defeat, a powerful surge of dark energy surrounded him and exploded all over the room, leaving no familiar landscape in sight. Riku could do very little to escape it. All he could do is brace himself for the full force of the storm that swallowed up everything until he see nothing but pure, back darkness surrounding him. He was so sure that there would be no escape from this, but there was a small comfort that he had done something to hinder Ansem, no matter how much it did to curb him out for a while.

"Sora… Kairi… Luna…"

But then, a miracle came – as a bright light appeared from out of the darkness.

 _"_ _Gosh, Riku, I know you wanted to do this alone…but you don't mind gettin' a LITTLE help, don't ya?"_

Though it was a little hard to see, Riku could've sworn that he saw the king supporting him by the shoulder as though to help him move along. Then, right in front of them, a Shadow Hand and a Dark Hand reached out from the pitch blackness and grasped the two of them, pulling them along like ropes as they guided the two out of the darkness.

 _"_ _Mama…I think I found them!"_

 _"_ _Thank goodness Mickey arrived first. Riku is just too headstrong for his own good."_

Wait, if Mickey is here, then that means… That means Luna and Noir are also there, and they're pulling all the stops to help their friends emerge from the darkness safe and sound. And that proved to be confirmed when, as soon as he and the king surfaced back into the blindingly white interior of the castle, he saw Luna and Noir with single Hands stretched out to an indiscernible extent. He couldn't help feeling a wave of relief rush through him as he realized he had been saved yet again – but this time, he knew he had a lot more support than he ever thought he would get this time around.

Once him and the king were set back on solid ground, Riku suddenly felt Luna crash right into him as she held him tightly.

"Riku, don't me worry like that!" she cried as she chastised him, "You made me fear Ansem did something to you."

"How was I supposed to know he'd pull a cheap shot like that?" Riku replied defensively, "I almost thought I was done for."

Meanwhile, Noir had just set Mickey down as she let out a sigh of relief. "It's a good thing we came here when we did. I was almost afraid that we've lost him again."

"I could say the same, Noir. But we didn't," Mickey replied with a chuckle.

Then, Medea and Nero arrived at the scene, nearly out of breath from chasing after the three after they had run off to look for Riku. While Nero wasn't too fussy about what happened, Medea didn't have any nice things to say as she proceeded to do her usual forms of scolding when someone does something utterly reckless.

"Dammit, Luna! Why the hell did ya have to run off on us like you're having a fit of panic?" the Shadow Guardian berated angrily, "What if Ansem had sensed you coming? You could've gotten Riku into more trouble – or worse, you would've gotten yourself and Riku into bigger trouble than the kid already got himself into!" She then turned her attention to Riku, and she proceeded to berate him as well. "And you, kid – you just had to make Luna and her mom and Mickey freak out because of that scuffle you opted to dive into by yourself, and probably nearly got yourself killed for your trouble! Seriously, you're too stubborn for your own good. Next time, don't you dare tell us that you wanna do something alone unless you're absolutely sure you can handle it without giving us too much hassle to bail you out!"

"Calm down, Medea," Nero chastised as he recovered himself, "At least he's alive, and as far as I can see, that Ansem guy's gone. He's not gonna be in our hair anytime soon."

"He'd better not, or he's landing right on the top of my hit list," Medea growled lowly.

Riku shook his head with a smile at the bickering in the background. After the grueling fight he had to go through, it actually felt refreshing to hear something else other than Ansem pestering him again.

"I'm sorry, Riku…" Luna suddenly spoke, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I was just so scared something happened that…well…"

He responded by patting her head gently. "It's fine, Luna. You were just worried. Noir was always the same way with me when we stuck together through the castle. I guess I've gotten used to it by now."

After things in the hall had finally calmed down between the remaining party, it became clear to them that they can't stay in Castle Oblivion any longer. With the Organization members in the castle out of the picture and Ansem cast out for the time being, there's now only the matter of where their paths will go from there. Besides, with Sora, Donald and Goofy asleep to recover their memories and Luna and her Guardian left to fend for themselves until further notice, it does leave the question as to what they should do now. As they prepared to make their way out of the castle, now was the time to address the difficult questions.

"So, Riku…what happens next?" Mickey asked. "Are ya goin' home with Luna?"

Riku stopped in his tracks, shaking his head. "I can't go home – not yet." He looked at his hands. "It's still here. It's really faint, but I can sense him. So I think his darkness may still have a hold over me."

"Now don't be like that, Riku," Noir scolded him firmly, "I've been around you long enough to believe you're better than him. I've told you, Ansem does not know what you are capable of. What you've developed since our travels is a strength all its own, and that's something Ansem can never match against."

"Noir's right. Your darkness belongs to you," Mickey agreed, "Just the same way your light does. Up till now, I thought darkness was something that should never exist. Then I spent time with you and changed my mind. The road you chose – I didn't know. Light and dark, back to back. With you, I think it might meet in a way nobody's seen before. Besides, Luna, Medea and Noir are able to live among us regardless of what they are. Wonder where that road leads. I'd like to see myself." He then reached out a hand to Riku, to the boy's surprise. "I'd like to walk the road with ya."

For once, Riku had no idea how best to respond to this sort of encouragement. He couldn't believe how much support Mickey has been giving him, even after everything that they've experienced. Nearly overwhelmed with joy about a chance to make his own path with someone he can trust, he reciprocated the king's hand and took it with his own.  
"Your Majesty, I'm really flattered…" he said with elation, "I don't' know what to say."

"Gosh, Riku, you know you don't have to call me that now," Mickey insisted, "We're pals."

Riku chuckled. "Fair enough, Mickey."

"Riku…if it's alright with you, I'd like to go with you, too," Luna requested, "I want to see you get better. And I want to be with you as long as I can…if you don't mind."

He smiled at her. "Of course you can, Luna. Someone's gotta take care of you."

"Hey, watch it, Riku! I'm still her Guardian, y'know," Medea warned warily, "Besides, if you run off on Luna, I'm comin' after ya."

Nero shook his head in disdain before he gave his reason for joining in. "I know I'm new to this whole friendship thing, but…well…I'd rather stick with you guys. I could use some time to get better acquainted with the people Luna is close to."

Noir, moved by the motive for reconciliation, gently embraced him. "You'll have plenty of time to do that, Nero. Perhaps we might be able to learn more about you while we leave this place."

While Nero and Medea looked at Noir in surprise at her acceptance, Luna and Riku shared a small look at one another, knowing at the very least they have all the support they can get as they make their way to wherever their path next takes them. There's no knowing what to expect, and there is still the danger of the new enemies that would seek to either pursue Sora or to pursue Luna once again. But so long as they stick together, they felt sure there might be a way to endure whatever may come.


	32. Epilogue 1: The Road to Dawn

**Hello! Lilith here.**

 **Well, here I am at the epilogues, which is the norm for me in the Eclipsed Hearts series these days. Right now, we have the first epilogue, where we get a glimpse on a hope spot before we reach the next storyline. I'll be posting at least two more epilogues, like I've done back in Tainted Hearts. What the next ones will show, I refuse to spoil.**

 **So, regardless of how short this is, I hope you readers like this all the same.**

 **To Mattman: Well, since I didn't pay too much attention to the Kingdom Hearts X game, I guess for me, it would a challenge to find a walkthrough of it to use to map out my work. And don't worry, since I am aware of 2.8, I'll be sure to use that when I get to DDD (which is a long ways off, mind you); X Back Cover might provide something I can work with alongside the game itself, if at all possible (and you're right, I could use X to expand upon the origin of the Shadow Mages); as for 0.2, I have to determine whether to write that sooner or later, because I know that there's some cutscenes that occur after the credits and whatnot. Timing is key for me. Now, for what requests you have, how about this for a deal: while working on the next storyline, whenever there isn't any world exploration, I could have chapters with the characters having downtime and use those breathers to provide peeks into the past. That sound good to you?**

 **To WilyGryphon: The guy Hercules scouted out prior to Roxas's first visit to the Coliseum? Do you mind clarifying what you mean, please? As for your choice of characters to add, I'm afraid I'm more focused on the Final Fantasy series; I don't have any knowledge on anything associated with Mystic Quest, sorry. Regarding the fellows I have used, I'll worry about it at my own pace. Also, for the record with Seymour, I wanted to create an alternative approach for him - my thoughts with him went like this: "If circumstances and fate had been kinder, or perhaps if some kind of intervention occurred, maybe he wouldn't have become the nihilist he did in the original game..." Lastly, the next storyline will be featuring the first Unversed that came to being, one with an unstable mind (the next prologue coming up will let you know). The other one will not be appearing until KH2 (the storyline after 358/2 Days). I hope you'll understand.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are not acceptable.**

* * *

Epilogue 1: The Road to Dawn

Under the cover of night, Riku, Luna and their companions made their way out of Castle Oblivion onto the long path where Sora and Luna once traveled on with their friends after having defeated Ansem and closed the door. But now it's just the six of them leaving the place, wearing the black coats that were given to them by DiZ as they walked down the road. Where their next journey will go, there's no way for them to know right now.

However, just for a moment, Luna stopped in her tracks, turning around to look back down the road they came from. She didn't know why, but something about leaving the castle gave her an emotionally stinging feeling – like she's leaving a place she once called home yet again. She still remembered deeply how the castle was once a beautiful sanctum illuminated by light and nestled surrounded by mountains and lush greens back when she was but a small child. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought back on the haunting memory of its destruction after the demise of its guardian, and the subsequent reconstruction into a mind-meddling citadel created to confuse anyone who invades the domain. Today, only she and Medea know what – or rather, who – is inside that twisted fortress, hidden away from intruders. The other person who would share the knowledge, a dear friend she used to know, is not here – and to this day, she doesn't even know where she is…

A hand gently touching her shoulder caught her attention. Luna turned to see that Riku is near her, his face showing concern for her. Perhaps he noticed that she stopped and checked on her to make sure she's okay.

"What's the matter, Luna?" he asked her gently. "Not too thrilled about leaving the castle?"

She let out a small, sad sigh. "No… It's just…I can't shake off this feeling of sadness, like I miss something badly." She looked toward him. "The castle we've all been navigating through…it was once so beautiful, filled with life and colors. I lived there once, with my brother and his friends. But that's all gone…"

There was a brief silence before Riku asked her, "Is it something you want to talk about?"

Luna shook her head in decline. "No…I'd rather not."

She almost expected him to try and press her for answers since she was giving minimal information about parts of her past. But instead, Riku nodded in understanding and he let the subject go pretty quickly, probably knowing that some parts of her past are still difficult to discuss about openly even after nine years have passed.

"It's okay, I get it," he said in sympathy, "You're just not ready. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

At his careful nudging, Luna followed him to where the rest of the group had stopped when they had noticed one of their own had abruptly fallen behind. Between them, though, one of them had a sneaking suspicion as to why things slowed down for a moment.

"Got distracted by a trip to memory lane, did ya now?" Medea asked.

"Sorry, Medea…I did," Luna answered shyly.

"If it's concerning Sora, don't worry. Namine will keep watch of him," Nero reassured her, "until his memories are fully restored."

"No, it's not Sora she's thinking about," Riku corrected him, "It's something else. But…she's not inclined to discuss it yet."

While Nero had no idea what he was referring to, the rest of the party had a sneaking suspicion there was a conversation that occurred between him and Luna that neither wants to bring up unless there's a good reason to do so. It had something to do with events of the past – something that Noir would've been aware of, and that Medea and Mickey would know a lot more about all too well. Only time will tell when someone decides to spill the beans on the secrets that are kept by those who first experienced the perils of the past…

"Was I…missing something?" Nero wondered, clueless on what he misunderstood.

"Perhaps you'll know more, in good time," Noir replied, reassuring him. "There are some things that aren't that simple to understand until the person who knows most is ready to speak."

"I'm sure we'll get the answers we need – eventually," Mickey agreed.

Most of them left the subject of conversation at that, knowing that there's no chance of prying for more information for the time being. Instead, Riku and Mickey led the party on down the road as the rest of the group followed closely behind them. As they continued on their way down the road, though, the group got a rude surprise when they stopped at a crossroads where DiZ stood waiting for them. Behind him, three roads stretched out in three different directions leading to who-knows-where. The man in red stood in the middle of it, as though challenging them with where their journey will take them.

"Oh, look at that," Medea said sarcastically, "The mummy returns."

Luna and Nero shook their heads in silence, mostly in disbelief at the sarcastic remark. Luckily for them, DiZ didn't give any comment to the backhanded description of him; if anything, he didn't seem to care that someone doesn't have a pleasant comment toward him right now.

Riku's eyes narrowed challengingly at him. "What are you making me choose now?"

"Between the road to light…" DiZ answered, "and the road to darkness."

Somehow, they should've known that there would be further testing on the decisions Riku would make. It's almost like they're still participants of a secret experiment, one that they didn't ask to take part in themselves. And nobody is too happy about being treated like they're naïve simpletons who don't know better.

"What kind of question is that?" Nero asked in annoyance. "Does someone not have a lot of confidence in the situation?"

"Or perhaps he wants further confirmation," Noir speculated warily.

But Riku already knew his choice. "Neither suits me."

Hearing this choice, Mickey looked up at Riku with a twinge of surprise, but otherwise had an idea on what he meant by the decision. On the other hand, a sense of pride crossed Noir's face when she saw how well the young boy stood his ground on where he wanted to go, giving confidence to Luna in turn on where their support will lay on.

"I'm taking the middle road," he continued as he moved past DiZ.

"If you're going that way, then I'm going with you," Luna said in full support. "We all are."

Intrigued, DiZ asked one last question toward Riku. "Do you mean the twilight road to nightfall?"

Riku stopped, turning to face him with confidence. "No. It's the road to dawn."

"The road to dawn…" Luna repeated in awe.

As though to assure that the answer is honest, Riku took Luna by her hand, a silent promise that he certainly hopes there will be a path to full redemption – a freedom from what had endangered all of them the moment they had been pulled out from their home. That's something both of them wish can happen as they traverse down the road ahead, with their new companions to help them through it. There's no knowing what to expect, but whatever it is, they'll find what they're looking for…


	33. Epilogue 2: Insanity, Clarity

**Wow, I'm surprised how quickly I got reviews a couple days ago...**

 **Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **And here's epilogue number two, and this time you're getting a peek on what new thing is to come. Of course, since it's a short chapter, you won't be able to get more details about what's to come until I get into the sequel.**

 **Anyway, all that's left is one more epilogue. And the last one will be quite the curve ball for you readers, I'm sure. But I refuse to confess what the curve ball will be. :p**

 **So without further ado, I hope you enjoy all the same!**

 **To The Ever-Dreaming Kitten: Hello to you! So glad to hear from you again. Glad you loved the first epilogue.**

 **To WilyGryphon: Oh, now I get it. Well, I'll see what I can do. Also, I appreciate you understand my different approaches to characters, and I'm glad you understand why I had established where my limitations are.**

 **To Haxorus knight: Patience, cowboy. I'll let everyone know when I'll be getting the first chapter (or two, depending on how prepared I am) for the next storyline out when I get the chance.**

 **To Mattman: Hoo, boy! You've got a lot of questions for me concerning KH3, don't you? I won't be able to answer 100%, but I'll try to answer to the best of my ability: 1) I find the graphics to be pretty solid, considering how long Squeenix has been working on the goddamn game. 2) I find the main three's outfits nicely done. 3) I wasn't aware of a new keyblade Riku uses. 4) I'm afraid I would have a hard time explaining my emotions with what trailers I've seen. Forgive my refusal to answer that part. 5) Hoo, boy...that's gonna be a lot of games to go through for any gamer. I probably wouldn't want to go through them all in one sitting. 6) I'm aware that Utada has a new song to be brought in (I've actually listened to/bought her music because I don't mind her pop music over the pop music that's rampant where I'm at). But I'm not aware of someone called Skrillex, let alone the song from the artist. :/**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Epilogue 2: Insanity, Clarity

He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it.

When he heard that the six members who left for Castle Oblivion had been terminated, he couldn't help feeling horrified at the news. Unfortunately, he couldn't acquire more information as to who was eliminated, let alone what happened to them altogether because a certain someone who sent him out on the missions just had to refuse to divulge him with anything vital that would help him make sense as to what went down. If that wasn't bad enough for him, he had to have salt rubbed on the wounds because that meant he didn't have any clear details as to the fate of Axel. He couldn't help experiencing a feeling of grief at the loss of a person he had just begun calling a friend since first being entered into the Organization – before he left for Castle Oblivion with the other members for reasons he didn't know, that is.

Well, granted, he had been around the newest member, a girl he called Xion, and he had been doing fine working on a few missions with her. However, it was a whole different experience for him. Maybe he has yet to be accustomed to working with someone as young as him? Or maybe he hasn't been able to fully engage in any meaningful conversations with her yet since they've only met for a small amount of time, and because she wasn't much of a talker. He couldn't blame her, though. She probably isn't used to being around the other members of the Organization at the moment.

He let out a loud, dejected sigh as he leaned against the wall of the dulled corridors of the dungeons down below the main halls of the castle. Not many members of the Organization enter down the stairway to the dungeon, at least to his knowledge. Even if he did know of anyone who would go there, the good thing for him is that there's nobody coming down here at this time, let alone shoo him out, so this gives him some space to himself to sort out the thoughts storming through his head.

"Roxy…? What's the matter? Come here…"

He snapped back into reality upon hearing the low cooing voice reverberating within the dungeon, beckoning him to answer. From one of the prison cell doors, two pale white hands snaked out between the bars as their spindly fingers gestured sweetly toward him, seemingly inviting the lone visitor over with innocent intentions. He sighed as he shook his head, knowing that the 'resident' must've known he is in the vicinity, and wants to have a little chat with him. Slowly he made his way down the rest of the stairs and approached the door where the hands beckoned out to him. By the time he reached the cell bars, the two hands that gestured the boy over reached out to him and caressed his face and ruffled his blond hair like a doting mother cuddling a child a bit too excessively.

"Roxas… Roxy… Tell me; what's driving you insane?" the female voice crooned sweetly.

Roxas looked into the cell as he answered, "Did you hear about Castle Oblivion, Maladia? The members that went there…well, I heard they had been eliminated. I don't know how or why. No matter what I tried, Saix won't give me the details on who was terminated."

Not long after he spilled news of what happened, Roxas suddenly heard his confidant laugh like it was a hilarious joke. Though the lighting is minimal in this part of the castle, the lights on the walls let him see the wide grin spread across the face of the pale woman seated near the bars of the prison cells, the bangs in her hair flailing excitedly as she shook her head while laughing hysterically. He couldn't help frowning in dismay at how callously she took the news. Did she even care that lives were terminated?

"Ha! So a few ungrateful rats died out while out on their boss's little errand," Maladia crowed spitefully, "Good riddance to them. They got what they deserved, what with how they disregard one another just like they disregard anyone that crosses them."

"You do know that means Axel could be one of those gone, don't you?" Roxas asked challengingly.

An angry growl slipped out of her mouth as she hissed, "That two-faced punk? Say what you want, but the snake is no better than the rest of those back-stabbing freaks! And his boss – ha, ha! – His boss might as well be just as much a monster as his followers!"

Roxas let out a frustrated sigh after hearing her snap in an envious rage. He should've known Maladia would react badly whenever Axel is brought up. Her hatred of those associated with the Organization is something he learned firsthand since first meeting her, and there are times where his discussion about the other members would spark her anger over them for reasons only she would know about.

But then, not long after her burst of rage, her emotions quickly changed to sadness as she let out slow, ragged breaths while shifting her position to having her back against the bars, revealing most of her full figure even as her face is obscured from sight.

After a brief period of choked crying, she sobbed guiltily, "I'm so sorry, Roxy… I didn't mean to snap like that. I know you've been around that redhead. I know you say you're friends with him. But…" Her anger briefly resurfaced. "I hate him… I hate him for following how **_they_** treat me, thinking me a monster when they were one to me!" Her emotions stilled into depression once more. "Though…you did say you're upset because that scar-faced slave driver won't tell you whether anyone survived or not. I won't speak against you for it. I would've hated him for hiding information, too." She paused. "But I'm merely a deranged prisoner, my mind already broken from the start…but unlike you, who walk about freely so long as you obey the cult master that reigns over his slaves, I am nothing but a freak of nature that despise merely because I can't be controlled."

Now that last part, he certainly understands quite well. Aside from having to perform missions under the command he can find frustrating to speak with, at the very least he has enough liberties to deviate in some places to learn what he can while he's able to. The same can't be said for Maladia, who has been imprisoned for reasons he can hardly comprehend, and has lived scorned and hated by the very people who kept her in captivity. Such a painful experience would drive anyone crazy and cause a lot of tension against those that imprisoned and isolated them to begin with. Maybe it's a good thing he wasn't in the same shoes as her, or else maybe he would've gone mad, too.

"Tell me, Roxy…will you manage?" Maladia asked him in concern. "You won't let the gossip drive you mad, won't you?"

He took a moment to think before he replied as reassuring as he could, "Well…I can't do much by this point. I guess I'll just keep doing my job, and hope some kind of update crops up that can put my mind to rest." He scoffed glumly a bit. "Though, if I know Saix, he'll probably not be willing to spill a lot and still push me to do my missions no matter what I do to try and get information."

She chuckled sardonically. "Alright…if you insist on carrying on with those silly games, I won't make a fuss. Though…I'm sure it'll only be a matter of time before you'd wish you could dole out a little payback for being pushed around so much."  
"Just promise me you'll behave yourself while I'm working, okay, Maladia?" Roxas requested to her.

"I'll try – though I can't promise I'll be nice to your slave masters," she replied lowly, "more so if it's that master fanatic."

Yeah, he had a sneaking suspicion as to who she's talking about: she's referring to the Superior, the leader of the Organization, someone she hates above the rest of the members that worked under him. Though, he's rarely seen him, let alone interacted around him due to being only a newcomer in this secretive group, so he couldn't be a proper judge about the leader.

Regardless of the current situation, at least he has enough conviction to try and keep up his business despite still feeling weighed by the distress of the horrific news. He should try to find something to do to help him keep his mind off the problems he's facing until he can hear anything more about the fate of the other members. Hopefully, he could work with Xion a little more. That would help him divert his attention for a little while – maybe. But until then, he'll have to cope with having to work with a smaller number of members than he had been around before. It's not going to be easy for him, though…


	34. Epilogue 3: Unattained Flower

**Here it is, the final epilogue. And here is where I throw a curve ball.**

 **Hello, everyone! Lilith here.**

 **And finally Chained Hearts has concluded. I must admit, it was quite an excruciating story to write because rather than separate the stories, I opted to hit two birds with one stone. But I made it.**

 **Despite how long this took, I have to thank those of you who took the time to review me and support me through thick and thin. I thank familiar reviewers blueorchid7, Azura De Martel (formerly Samantha), and Spirit for their support at the beginning; I highly thank The Ever-Dreaming Kitten for your new arrival and loving reviews you've given me, and others for what input you've given. I'd like to also give my thanks to the guest reviewers that have given their two cents on my story and for their input on matters I've tried my best to address.**

 **And in response to the fellow writers and reviewers that have answered my call for help in preparation for my next storyline, I give my biggest thanks to the suggestions of Disney worlds and/or Final Fantasy characters you guys wanted to appear in my next fic. My biggest thanks goes to Guest, Azura De Martel, Gracekim1, HiddenXEmotion, Zweig, Ever-Dreaming Kitten, Spirit of Writing, Light Seeker 001, and WilyGryphon for their suggestions they've taken the time to give me. While I may not be bale to fulfill all expectations, I promise that whatever I can fill in, I will make sure to credit each of you for your suggestions respectively. Count on that. ;)**

 **Also, I'd like to give my appreciation to Mattman for placing me on fanfic recommendations on the Kingdom Hearts TV Tropes page. I am honored to be placed on recommendation. :)**

 **With that out of the way, I'd like to inform you dear reviewers that I'll be delivering the next story, Fractured Hearts, at some point in November at minimum. So, if you have me on your radars, keep an eye out for it.**

 **So, without further ado, enjoy this final chapter!**

 **To The Ever-Dreaming Kitten: You'll get to know Maladia more when the next story comes out. Trust me.**

 **To Mattman: You'll get a better understanding of the situation in the sequel. Though, if I know Luna (which I do), I'm pretty sure she won't be aware of Maladia's existence until a certain incident in KH2. Also, thanks for the tip on how to get certain lettering for certain characters' names. I'll be sure to try it out when I get to writing the next story.**

 **I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

 **Read, leave me a review, but flames are unacceptable.**

* * *

Epilogue 3: Unattained Flower

Elsewhere, down a long empty hallway somewhere in the depths of the castle, one man walks the dimly lit corridors alone. His footsteps echoed along the hall as he passed through. Not a living soul has ever entered this solitary segment of the grand castle, only him. The other members in the Organization know better than to follow his trail, more so under threat of termination should anyone dare to pry into the secrets only he would know about.

Earlier before he slipped out of sight to be alone, he learned of the events that transpired at Castle Oblivion, of the fate of the members that perished. Five are informed to be eliminated, two of which unquestionably confirmed to be of the traitorous sort, the rest of them collateral damage at most. Though he favored being rid of those deemed unfavorable because of their two-faced behavior, he does have disappointment that one of them – the scientist among them, Vexen – is eliminated, if only because of his vital role in conducting the experiments he commissioned himself. Regardless, nothing more can be done for them. He'll simply have to make the most of the members he still has left. Now he only needs to wait to acquire information from his spy on whether or not he had found the chamber in Castle Oblivion under his orders and if he pinpointed Luna's current whereabouts.

Luna… He knew the name struck a familiar chord to him. When he first tried to find her, he discovered she disappeared from where he once resided. He had tried time and time again to find her, but to no avail. Nobody in the Organization could find her, no matter what they tried to locate her trail. But then, after nine years, a breakthrough finally surfaced after the Heartless had caused enough rampages across the worlds. Not only did he hear about a boy with a keyblade surfacing and destroying the Heartless across the worlds, but he also uncovered that accompanying him is the girl he had been trying to search for. How she came to be with Sora is beyond him, but that didn't matter.

However, because of the unexpected turn of events, this gave him ample opportunity to give out orders to Marluxia and the other members to use Castle Oblivion to lure Sora and Luna into their hands and seizing them both. But in the wake of uncovering plans of betrayal by Marluxia in particular, he resorted to drastic measures to ensure the traitorous mastermind did not succeed in his attempts to claim Sora's power and control Luna. Though, he didn't shy away from stepping in long enough to try and convince one of his loyal men to attempt intervention on the Shadow Mage, if only to make it harder for Marluxia to capture two targets in a single stroke. That didn't go according to plan, unfortunately, but if what he had heard from Zexion the last time he saw him is correct, he's quite certain she won't make it easy for them to find her, or to capture her for that matter.

Now he has neither Sora nor Luna in his reach, and to make matters worse, Namine has slipped away from their control. That means he'll have to find another way to acquire the power of the keyblade for his own use, and he'll have to step up his game to find Luna. At least he doesn't have to look too far to formulate another strategy…

He put his thoughts on hold as he turned a corner and approached a dark grey metal door nestled quietly at the end of the hall. Near the door is a keypad, a necessary security measure to keep intruders from entering what resides past the barrier. Fluidly, he typed in a password known only to him, and at the confirmation of the correct word, the door opened automatically.

Beyond the dark grey door is a small, solitary chamber tucked away in isolation from all other parts of the castle. The chamber itself is completely colored in a cerulean blue dimly lit by a singular circular lamp high up on the ceiling, giving off an artificially induced atmosphere of a full moon night within the minimal vicinity. The sigil used to represent the Organization dotted across the walls like stars in the sky as dully glowing chains interconnected between each other in a mockery of formulating artistic constellations of indiscernible patterns. Secured to the far end of the room is a near-ovular pod constructed to fit the size of an average human being, bearing the white and grey metal colorations akin to the castle while fitted with a transparent lid creating a barrier to empty bedding arranged for someone meant to be there. Confined to the walls of the chamber is a meticulously arranged row of moonflowers cultivated around the walls and surrounding the pod like a miniature indoor garden; the flowers themselves bloomed brilliantly despite the loneliness of the environment where they've grown, providing lighter colors to an otherwise dark room.

He had no clear knowledge as to why the presence of the chamber he personally created gave him a longing for what remained missing, but something about being in an atmosphere of a midnight sky reminded him very vaguely of her – her, that young child whose name fits so appropriately with the motif of the room. She may have hidden herself well enough, just as the moon hid in the shadows from sight at periodic intervals, but now her presence has been made known once again as much as a full moon would do so. Now, a covetous urge returned to the fiber of his being, a desire to fill the void of what remained missing in his inconsistent life by any means possible.

As he carefully picked a single moonflower and raised it to his eye level, he felt a peculiar thrill of having found an important piece of a puzzle after years of futile searches. He remembers well how he last saw Luna long ago: a small, fragile budding flower that was trampled and shrunk because of dark secrets that hide deep within her mind. The awareness of the futile meetings and the embarrassment of having to face the consequences for interference left a bitter taste in his mouth because of it. But now, he is aware of how much change the little flower has undergone without him knowing. Against all odds, the trampled bud took its time to grow until it achieved the bloom it was meant to accomplish. He wondered if the Keyblade wielder is one of the factors behind this unprecedented development, and whether there were others. If so, then that makes the prize all the more covetous.

Luna may have slipped out of Castle Oblivion, narrowly escaped his grasp. But that won't last long. Besides, there's always another way to find her. Perhaps she requires a simple message that would provide her better understanding on what her situation is, and that it will only be a matter of time before she is found and brought back to which she belongs to. He gazed down at the flower in his hand.

A cunning, devious smirk crossed his face. Of course! What better message for a child such as her than the very flower that was a part of her long ago? He found the flower he wanted, and now he will do whatever it takes to uproot it and keep it by his side.

"I know now how to find you… _little moonflower_."


End file.
